Introduction A hearing protection device (HPD) is often used as a protective measure in a workplace environment when the sound levels of that environment cannot be decreased and such levels pose a threat to the hearing of workers. An HPD is a safety device worn by individual’s to protect his or her hearing from the harmful effects of sound (Berger, 2003). A variety of occupational environments are known to produce high levels of noise, including factories and military operations. Individuals employed in these professions may be required to wear HPDs to reduce the risk of noise-induced hearing loss. However, certain situations in these work environments require the listener to also be able to hear low-level sounds for safety reasons. There is difficulty in providing a HPD that attenuates the high-level sounds while allowing low-level sounds to be perceived. More often than not, individuals must choose between protecting their hearing while missing out on essential low-level auditory information, or going without hearing protection and putting themselves at risk for temporary or permanent noise-induced hearing loss (Brungart & Hobbs, 2007). Furthermore, the implementation of HPDs can change the temporal and spectral cues of an auditory signal, which can interfere with one’s ability to locate the direction of a sound source (Bolia et al. 2001). Without localization abilities, an individual is more at risk for occupational hazards as well as jeopardizing their safety and the safety of others. Styles of HPDs and their effects on sound localization will be discussed to provide information for individuals required to wear hearing protection in high-risk professions. Types of Hearing Protection Devices Different styles of hearing pr... ... middle of paper ... ...l Hygiene Association (AIHA). Ch. 10, 379-454. Bolia, R.S., D’Angelo, W.R., Mishler, P.J., & Morris, L.J. (2001). Effects of Hearing Protectors on Auditory Localization in Azimuth and Elevation. Human Factors, 43(1), 122-128. Borg, E., Bergkvist, C., & Bagger-Sjoback, D. (2008). Effect on Directional Hearing in Hunters Using Amplifying (Level Dependent) Hearing Protectors. Otology & Neurotology, 29, 579-585. Brungart, D.S. & Hobbs, B.W. (2007). A Comparison of Acoustic and Psychoacoustic Measurements of Pass-Through Hearing Protection Devices, in Proceedings of 2007 IEEE Workshop on Applications of Signal Processing to Audio and Acoustics, New Paltz, New York. Oct 21-24, 2007. Simpson, B.D., Bolia, R.S., McKinley, R.L., & Brungart, D.S. (2005). The Impact of Hearing Protection on Sound Localization and Orienting Behavior. Human Factors, 47(1), 188-198.
... Association, if a the sound of a plane taking off is 1,000,000,000,000 times the threshold sound, and if the sound of a hand drill is 10,000,000,000 times the threshold sound, during which sound would you wear hearing protection?
Kuk, F., Korhonen, P., Lau, C., Keenan, D., & Norgaard, M. (2013). Evaluation of a pinna compensation algorithm for sound localization and speech perception in noise. American Journal of Audiology, 22(1), 84-93.
Cochlear Implants only restore very limited audibility. When described by formerly hearing Deaf people they compare it to hearing underwater, “fuzzy and timbre” yet still able to discern some
Technology nowadays is getting more and more dangerous, especially to our ears. Every day we are subjected to videos, text sounds, alert sounds, alarms, and anything else that may be of use in life. These sounds seem to be happening more often which is damaging our ears. There is a solution to this damage though, and that is cochlear implants. These implants will bypass the damaged part of your ear to give you a sense of sound that can be made very useful to the patient. This paper will look into how the ear works, how hearing loss happens, why these cochlear implants are a good solution, how these implants work, cost and ethics related to these implants, and what the future holds for them.
The unit used to measure the intensity of sound is called the decibel(dB). Sounds that measure up to 75dB are considered to be in the "safe zone". Constant exposure to to sound at these levels are very unlikely to cause any lasting damage to long term hearing. The sound of regular volume conversation measures at around 60dB and the sound of a running dishwasher measures at roughly 75dB. Sounds around the 85dB level are considered a moderate risk to hearing. Exposure at these levels for extened periods of time may lead to some form of damage causing NIHL. Sounds at these levels include heavy traffic and crowded areas at 85dB, active subway stations at 95dB and listening to an mp3 player with ear buds at maximum volume at 105dB in which listening for just 15 minutes can cause permanent damage. Sound at 120dB and above are in the "danger zone". This level of sound is to be avoided at all cost as exposure even for a short pulse will lead to immediate permanent damage. This level includes the sound of ambulance sirens at 120dB, a jet taking off at 140dB and gunshots at 165 dB and above. (Rabinowitz,
Consequently, as you can see both hearing aids and cochlear implants have very superlative technology, that they have countless positive effects on many individual lives around the country and are an important contribution for parents to understand these advancements and help their child the best they can. “Hearing loss can impact your work and social life,” says Larocque. “Restoring one’s hearing gives people their life back,” (Donohue 1). A primary benefit of wearing hearing aids or cochlear implants is enhanced directional perception. An individual that hears better in one ear may find it difficult to locate where sounds are coming from because perception is off due to the fact that you are receiving sound of a decreased volume in one
.... P. (2010). Wideband acoustic-reflex test in a test battery to predict middle-ear dysfunction. Hearing research, 263(1), 52-65.
...orthy (2012) completed a narrative review. This article was not classified as a systematic nor integrative, although the research was comprehensive. Edworthy (2012) completed a review including many of the traditional medical literature databases such as PubMed and Web of Knowledge. She additionally searched in the PsychINFO and human factor journals. Her strategy was to examine the available research specific to auditory alarm response time. Fifty eight articles were cited in this review. This article represented a comprehensive narrative by an expert in the specialty area. The author had twenty-five years experience as a researcher and designer in the area of audible alarms. Her findings suggested a significant improvement in response to alarms when greater emphasis is placed on the alarm design (Edworthy, 2012). She recommended standardization of alarms.
Individuals who are deaf or are hearing impaired are faced with many problems in today’s world. There are so many tasks and activities that are done today that deaf or hearing impaired people may have difficulty doing because of there handicap. There handicap used to stop them or inhibit them from doing something that they are interested in or there friends and neighbors would do. However in today there are new and different technologies, that help the deaf and hearing impaired in the activities in which they want to participate in which is hard for them to take part in because of there handicap. Technology is used to help with everyday tasks in the lives of deaf and hearing impaired individuals. With out this new technology which is being invented everyday, deaf and hearing impaired people may be considered to have a handicap which prevents them from certain activities, but this is not the case anymore, now these people just have different obstacles which through the use of technology they are learning to over come. They can do anything that regular normal range of hearing individuals can do, due to the new technology being invented everyday.
Lorenzi, C., Gatehouse, S., & Lever, C. (1999). Sound localization in noise in hearing impaired listeners. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 105 (6), 3454-3463.
Noise (Noise induced hearing loss NIHL): Another occupational hazard that contributes to workplace injury is excessive noise. Excessive noise may have adverse effects, which include, high blood pressure, stress, reduced performance and noise induced hearing loss. While there are other factors contributing to NIHL, the shortage of prevention is a high contributor. Engineering controls is one way of reducing noise at its source (Nelson et al. 20...
Hearing loss has a significant impact on a person’ s quality of life. The social, psychological, and physical consequences of hearing loss can take a major toll on a person’s mental and physical health.
Tucker, Bonnie. “Deaf Culture, Cochlear Implants, and Elective Disability.” Hastings Center Report. 28.4 (1998): 1-12. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 9 Dec. 2013.
On the other hand, the Kendall Support Services Team (2003) indicates that FM hearing aids allow children to hear at the same volume regardless of where they are seated. In fact, FM systems may cover over 100 feet and are portable (Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing). These systems require teachers to wear microphones and students to wear special hearing aids (Kendall Support Services Team, 2003). Similarly, soundfield systems amplify the instructor’s voice, not only for the deaf students, but for the w...
The story of the hearing aid depicts one of the most ridiculous timelines of technological advancements in all of history. Although we modernly think of a “hearing aid” as a small device which is inserted into the ear canal, the reality is that a hearing aid is “an apparatus that amplifies sound and compensates for impaired hearing.” Thus, I invite you to expand your mind, and draw your attention to the intriguing, and absolutely absurd, timeline of the hearing aid.