Smartphone-bundled earphones as personal sound amplification products in adults with sensorineural hearing loss

Heng Yu Haley Lin; Hoi Shan Lai; Chii Yuan Huang; Chih Hao Chen; Shang Liang Wu; Yuan Chia Chu; Yu Fu Chen; Ying Hui Lai; Yen Fu Cheng

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.105436

Smartphone-bundled earphones as personal sound amplification products in adults with sensorineural hearing loss

Heng Yu Haley Lin, Hoi Shan Lai, Chii Yuan Huang, Chih Hao Chen, Shang Liang Wu, Yuan Chia Chu, Yu Fu Chen, Ying Hui Lai, Yen Fu Cheng^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Given the low prevalence of hearing aid use among individuals with hearing loss due to their high costs and social stigma, personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) may serve as alternatives with adequate hearing compensation and greater accessibility. This study examined the electroacoustic features of hearing aids and selected smartphone-bundled earphones, specifically AirPods, as PSAPs, and compared hearing performances among adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss when aided with each hearing assistive device. Our results indicated that AirPods Pro met four out of five PSAP standards. No significant differences were found regarding speech perception between AirPods Pro and hearing aids in quiet but not with the presence of background noises. AirPods Pro may have the potential to be a hearing assistive device for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. More research is needed to investigate the safety and feasibility of using earphones bundled with other smartphones as PSAPs.

Original language	English
Article number	105436
Journal	iScience
Volume	25
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.105436
State	Published - 22 Dec 2022

Keywords

Audiology
Health sciences
Medical biotechnology
Medical device
Medicine

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.isci.2022.105436

Cite this

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title = "Smartphone-bundled earphones as personal sound amplification products in adults with sensorineural hearing loss",

abstract = "Given the low prevalence of hearing aid use among individuals with hearing loss due to their high costs and social stigma, personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) may serve as alternatives with adequate hearing compensation and greater accessibility. This study examined the electroacoustic features of hearing aids and selected smartphone-bundled earphones, specifically AirPods, as PSAPs, and compared hearing performances among adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss when aided with each hearing assistive device. Our results indicated that AirPods Pro met four out of five PSAP standards. No significant differences were found regarding speech perception between AirPods Pro and hearing aids in quiet but not with the presence of background noises. AirPods Pro may have the potential to be a hearing assistive device for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. More research is needed to investigate the safety and feasibility of using earphones bundled with other smartphones as PSAPs.",

keywords = "Audiology, Health sciences, Medical biotechnology, Medical device, Medicine",

author = "Lin, {Heng Yu Haley} and Lai, {Hoi Shan} and Huang, {Chii Yuan} and Chen, {Chih Hao} and Wu, {Shang Liang} and Chu, {Yuan Chia} and Chen, {Yu Fu} and Lai, {Ying Hui} and Cheng, {Yen Fu}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s)",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

day = "22",

doi = "10.1016/j.isci.2022.105436",

language = "English",

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AU - Lin, Heng Yu Haley

AU - Lai, Hoi Shan

AU - Huang, Chii Yuan

AU - Chen, Chih Hao

AU - Wu, Shang Liang

AU - Chu, Yuan Chia

AU - Chen, Yu Fu

AU - Lai, Ying Hui

AU - Cheng, Yen Fu

PY - 2022/12/22

Y1 - 2022/12/22

N2 - Given the low prevalence of hearing aid use among individuals with hearing loss due to their high costs and social stigma, personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) may serve as alternatives with adequate hearing compensation and greater accessibility. This study examined the electroacoustic features of hearing aids and selected smartphone-bundled earphones, specifically AirPods, as PSAPs, and compared hearing performances among adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss when aided with each hearing assistive device. Our results indicated that AirPods Pro met four out of five PSAP standards. No significant differences were found regarding speech perception between AirPods Pro and hearing aids in quiet but not with the presence of background noises. AirPods Pro may have the potential to be a hearing assistive device for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. More research is needed to investigate the safety and feasibility of using earphones bundled with other smartphones as PSAPs.

AB - Given the low prevalence of hearing aid use among individuals with hearing loss due to their high costs and social stigma, personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) may serve as alternatives with adequate hearing compensation and greater accessibility. This study examined the electroacoustic features of hearing aids and selected smartphone-bundled earphones, specifically AirPods, as PSAPs, and compared hearing performances among adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss when aided with each hearing assistive device. Our results indicated that AirPods Pro met four out of five PSAP standards. No significant differences were found regarding speech perception between AirPods Pro and hearing aids in quiet but not with the presence of background noises. AirPods Pro may have the potential to be a hearing assistive device for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. More research is needed to investigate the safety and feasibility of using earphones bundled with other smartphones as PSAPs.

KW - Audiology

KW - Health sciences

KW - Medical biotechnology

KW - Medical device

KW - Medicine

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DO - 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105436

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SN - 2589-0042

VL - 25

JO - iScience

JF - iScience

IS - 12

M1 - 105436

ER -

Smartphone-bundled earphones as personal sound amplification products in adults with sensorineural hearing loss

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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