AURICAL HIT and the OTOsuite HIT Module Reference Manual March 2015

Copyrightnotice No part of this documentation orprogram may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted, in any form orby any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,or otherwise,without the prior written consent of GN Otometrics A/S. Copyright© 2015, GN Otometrics A/S Published in Denmark byGN Otometrics A/S, Denmark All information, illustrations, and specifications in this manual are based on the latest productinformation available at the time of publication. GN Otometrics A/Sreserves the right to make changes at any time without notice. Registered trademarks and Trademarks MADSEN Itera II,MADSEN OTOflex 100, OTOsuite,AURICAL FreeFit, AURICAL Visible Speech, MADSEN Astera², MADSEN Xeta, ICS Chartr 200 VNG/ENG, ICS Chartr EP, OTOcam 300, MADSEN AccuScreen, MADSEN AccuLink,ICS AirCal, AURICAL Aud, AURICAL HIT, ICS Impulse, OTObase and MADSEN Capella² are either registered trademarks ortrademarks of GN Otometrics A/S. Versionrelease date 2015-03-17 Technicalsupport Please contact your supplier.

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Otometrics - AURICAL HIT

Table of Contents 1

Introduction 1.1 Intended Use 1.2 Typographical conventions 1.2.1 Navigating this manual

5 5 6 6

2

AURICAL HIT 2.1 Unpacking AURICAL HIT 2.2 Installation 2.2.1 Connecting AURICAL HIT 2.2.2 Initial calibration 2.3 The test chamber 2.3.1 Reference microphone 2.3.2 BTE adapter tube 2.3.3 The coupler assembly 2.3.4 Battery simulator 2.3.5 Cable groove 2.3.6 Elevation plate 2.3.7 Coupler microphone sockets 2.3.8 Sound absorbing foam lining 2.3.9 Main loudspeaker 2.3.10 Rear loudspeaker 2.3.11 The AURICAL HIT lid 2.3.12 Telecoils 2.3.13 The AURICAL HIT handle 2.4 The Accessory Box

7 7 7 7 7 8 9 9 9 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 13

3

Testing hearing instruments 3.1 Calibrating the reference microphone 3.2 Positioning the hearing instrument for testing 3.2.1 General guidelines for positioning the hearing instrument 3.2.2 Using the battery simulator 3.2.3 Coupler adapters 3.3 Traditional BTE hearing instruments 3.3.1 With BTE adapter tube 3.4 Thin-tube hearing instruments 3.4.1 Using the HA-1 ITE, RIE, thin-tube adapter 3.5 ITE hearing instruments 3.6 Telecoil testing 3.7 Hearing instruments with wireless transmitters (e.g. FM) 3.8 Body-worn hearing instruments 3.9 Testing the hearing instrument with OTOsuite HIT 3.9.1 How to perform a standard test 3.9.2 How to test the directional microphone

14 14 15 15 17 18 19 19 20 20 21 23 23 25 25 25 26

4

HIT FreeStyle testing 4.1 Navigating in HIT FreeStyle

28 28

5

Cleaning, Repair and Calibration 5.1 Cleaning 5.1.1 Cleaning the device

31 31 31

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3

5.2

5.3

5.4

31 32 32 32 32 33 33 33 33

5.3.3 Calibrating the coupler microphone The battery simulator

35 36

6

Troubleshooting

37

7

Standards and Safety 7.1 AURICAL HIT 7.2 Warning notes 7.3 The OTOsuite HIT Module 7.4 Manufacturer 7.4.1 Responsibility of the manufacturer

38 38 38 39 40 40

8

Technical specifications

41

Index

4

5.1.2 Cleaning accessories Service and repair 5.2.1 Replacing/updating the reference microphone 5.2.2 Replacing/updating the coupler microphone 5.2.3 Replacing floor lining Calibration 5.3.1 How often is calibration necessary? 5.3.2 Environment Report Procedure

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1

Introduction AURICAL HIT is designed for Hearing Instrument Testing and Coupler-Based Fitting. AURICAL HIT connects via USB to a computer running the OTOsuite software. •

With the OTOsuite HIT Module you can perform traditional hearing instrument testing according to either the ANSI or IEC test protocols, and obtain a consistent picture of every hearing instrument, regardless of manufacturer or type.

•

With the OTOsuite PMM Module you can perform Probe Microphone Measurements in a coupler for pre-programming and pre-fitting hearing instruments without the client being present.

Hearing instruments It is easy to position hearing instruments on snap-on couplers inside the AURICAL HIT test chamber and it is easy to access the hearing instruments in the test chamber during test without disturbing the test setup. The battery pill types are recognized automatically, and the reference microphone ensures reliable positioning in the test chamber.

Directionality The Directionality feature provides for fast measurement of directionality and quality check of the hearing instruments.

RECD Real ear response can be recorded without having AURICAL HIT at hand, and coupler-based fitting can be performed by itself without using AURICAL FreeFit. Coupler-based fitting using RECD is a "coupler" mode as part of the PMM functionality for providing simple hearing instrument fitting. Coupler-based fitting is described in the AURICAL FreeFit and the Probe Microphone Measurements User Manual. AURICAL HIT supports stored coupler values which drastically reduces the need for measuring coupler responses.

NOAH integration AURICAL HIT can operate either as a stand-alone system, or under the NOAH software, which was developed by HIMSA as a common software platform for programming and fitting hearing instruments. NOAH integrates client records, audiological data and the dedicated fitting modules from various hearing instrument manufacturers.

1.1

Intended Use AURICAL HIT is intended for testing purposes by audiologists, hearing instrument dispensers, and other health care professionals in testing programmable hearing instruments.

Required qualifications It is assumed that the user has a basic knowledge of how to compare the results of the hearing instrument tests with the specifications from the hearing instrument manufacturer and to detect typical malfunctions of the hearing instrument.

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5

1 Introduction

1.2

Typographical conventions The use of Warning, Caution and Note To draw your attention to information regarding safe and appropriate use of the device or software, the manual uses precautionary statements as follows:

Warning • Indicates that there is a risk of death or serious injury to the user or patient.

Caution • Indicates that there is a risk of injury to the user or patient or risk of damage to data or the device.

Note • Indicates that you should take special notice.

1.2.1

Navigating this manual Menus, icons and functions to select are shown in bold type, as for instance in: •

6

Click the Set options icon on the toolbar or select Tools > Options.

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2 AURICAL HIT

2

AURICAL HIT

2.1

Unpacking AURICAL HIT 1. Unpack the device carefully. When you unpack the device and accessories, it is a good idea to keep the packing material in which they were delivered. If you need to send the device in for service, the original packing material will protect against damage during transport, etc. 2. Visually inspect the equipment for possible damage. If damage has occurred, do not put the device into operation. Contact your local distributor for assistance. 3. Check with the packing list to make sure that you have received all necessary parts and accessories. If your package is incomplete, contact your local distributor.

2.2

2.2.1

Installation •

Place AURICAL HIT on an absolutely stable surface.

•

In order to exclude ambient noise and to comply with the ANSI S3.22 standard, place the system in a moderately quiet room.

Connecting AURICAL HIT 1. Install OTOsuite on the PC. See the OTOsuite Installation Guide. 2. Connect the USB cable from the USB socket under AURICAL HIT to a USB socket in the PC. AURICAL HIT is powered by the PC.

AURICAL HIT is selected automatically in OTOsuite. If you wish to use a demo device, select Tools > Configuration Wizard. Click Configure next to AURICAL HIT, and select Demo device.

2.2.2

Initial calibration When you have connected AURICAL HIT to the PC, you must perform an initial calibration of the reference microphone. See Calibrating the reference microphone ► 14. Calibration procedures and general recommendations about calibration are described in Calibration ► 33.

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2 AURICAL HIT

2.3

The test chamber Using AURICAL HIT and positioning hearing instruments in the test chamber are described in Testing hearing instruments ► 14. A. Reference microphone ► 9 B. BTE adapter tube ► 9 C. The coupler assembly ► 9 D. Battery simulator ► 11 E. Cable groove ► 11 F.

Elevation plate ► 11

G. Coupler microphone sockets ► 11 H. Sound absorbing foam lining ► 12 I.

Main loudspeaker ► 12

J.

Rear loudspeaker ► 12

K. The AURICAL HIT lid ► 12

L.

8

Telecoils ► 12

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2 AURICAL HIT

The AURICAL HIT handle ► 12 (some models only)

The Accessory Box ► 13

2.3.1

Reference microphone The position of the reference microphone is easy to adjust. Make sure that the reference microphone does not come into contact with AURICAL HIT when you close the lid so that the microphone is not pushed out of place when you close the lid for testing.

2.3.2

BTE adapter tube The BTE adapter tube can be bent to correctly position the microphone or microphones of the hearing instrument in relation to the main loudspeaker. It is used for verification of BTE hearing instruments as well as for measuring the coupler portion of RECD. The adapter tube is compliant with ANSI and IEC requirements.

2.3.3

The coupler assembly The coupler assembly consists of the following parts: A. Coupler adapter B. Coupler cavity C. Coupler microphone

Coupler adapter The Accessory Box provides a range of adapters for easy positioning of different types of hearing instruments.

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2 AURICAL HIT

Coupler cavity During tests in the test chamber, the hearing instrument is connected to a 2cc coupler cavity manufactured in accordance with the ANSI standard. Alternatively, you can use an ear simulator. (Note that the ear simulator is not ANSI or IEC compliant, and is not recommended for RECD measurements.) You can use the Coupler Type icons in the toolbar to toggle between 2cc coupler and ear simulator. The selected coupler type is saved with measurements for later reference.

Coupler microphone The coupler microphone is located in a coupler bottom piece which must be attached to the coupler cavity. You can use the coupler microphone either directly in AURICAL HIT or in the Accessory Box. The system automatically detects and activates the coupler microphone regardless of which setup you are using.

AURICAL HIT A. BTE testing - Low coupler position B. ITE, RIE, thin-tube testing - High coupler position

The Accessory Box Connect the mini-jack cable from the Accessory Box to the mini-jack socket under AURICAL HIT, and insert the coupler microphone in the microphone socket in the Accessory Box. A. Wireless hearing instrument testing

The purpose of using the coupler microphone in the Accessory Box is to acoustically separate the input signal from the hearing instrument. This makes it possible to verify the external input device independently of the hearing instrument, and is mainly used for testing devices such as FM and Bluetooth transmitters.

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2.3.4

Battery simulator Using a battery simulator is highly recommended because it ensures that the hearing instrument is powered with the correct voltage and you avoid unnecessary battery waste for the purpose of coupler measurements. See Using the battery simulator ► 17.

2.3.5

Cable groove Wrap the programming cable of the hearing instrument once around the cable groove. This prevents the hearing instrument from being pulled out of place when you close the lid for testing.

2.3.6

Elevation plate Use the elevation plate to facilitate positioning of wireless transmitters and body worn hearing instruments at a level where the microphone or microphones are approximately centered in relation to the loudspeaker.

•

2.3.7

To use the plate, lift it up from its recess and place it in the high-position coupler socket.

Coupler microphone sockets AURICAL HIT A. BTE testing - Low coupler position B. ITE, RIE, thin-tube testing - High coupler position

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2 AURICAL HIT

2.3.8

Sound absorbing foam lining AURICAL HIT is lined with sound absorbing foam which is specifically designed to enhance the acoustic performance. Do not remove any foam before measuring.

2.3.9

Main loudspeaker The main loudspeaker is used for presenting regular acoustic test signals.

2.3.10

Rear loudspeaker The rear loudspeaker presents the signal from behind the hearing instruments and is used for directional microphone testing.

2.3.11

The AURICAL HIT lid The lid of AURICAL HIT has a closing mechanism that prevents the lid from slamming shut, which could upset the position of the hearing instrument for testing.

Opening the lid To open the lid, use only one hand to lift the lid gently.

Closing the lid To close the lid, place your hand on the lid and press gently until the closing mechanism takes over the action.

2.3.12

Telecoils 4 induction loops are fitted in AURICAL HIT for testing telecoil functioning:

BTE testing

2.3.13

ITE testing

The AURICAL HIT handle Note • This only applies to models equipped with a carrying handle.

The handle is designed for carrying AURICAL HIT.

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Caution • If you carry AURICAL HIT by its handle, do not use your other hand to support it by the lid, as this may cause the lid to open and squeeze your fingers.

2.4

The Accessory Box The Accessory Box is suited for storing coupler adapters, battery simulators, etc., and fits in the test chamber when not in use. The Accessory Box serves as holder for the coupler microphone for testing hearing instruments outside AURICAL HIT. See The coupler assembly ► 9.

Caution • Do not place the Accessory Box inside AURICAL HIT during transportation.

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3 Testing hearing instruments

3

Testing hearing instruments With AURICAL HIT and the OTOsuite HIT Module you can test the performance of hearing instruments according to both ANSI and IEC standards. You can also perform coupler-based fitting as described in the AURICAL FreeFit and the Probe Microphone Measurements User Manual. Testing a hearing instrument involves the following main tasks:

1.

Calibrating the reference microphone

Otometrics recommends that you calibrate the reference microphone daily or weekly. Set up the interval to suit your purposes. See Calibrating the reference microphone ► 14.

2.

Positioning the hearing instrument

General instructions are described in • Traditional BTE hearing instruments ► 19 •

Thin-tube hearing instruments ► 20

•

ITE hearing instruments ► 21

3.

Testing

When you have positioned the hearing instrument correctly, you can test it using the OTOsuite HIT module as described in Testing the hearing instrument with OTOsuite HIT ► 25, or you can perform coupler-based fitting as described in the AURICAL FreeFit and the Probe Microphone Measurements documentation.

3.1

Calibrating the reference microphone 1. Launch OTOsuite and select the HIT module in the Navigation panel. 2. Position the microphones in the center of the test chamber.

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3 Testing hearing instruments

3. Position the reference microphone (1) pointing straight down from above and centered 1-2 millimeters above the coupler measurement microphone (3). 4. During calibration the microphones must have the exact same distance to the main loudspeaker (2), along the Z axis. You can ensure this by looking at the test chamber from the side when you adjust the reference microphone position for calibration. 5. Close the lid. 6. Select Tools> AURICAL HIT Calibration > Reference Microphone. 7. Follow the on-screen instructions.

3.2

Positioning the hearing instrument for testing How you position the hearing instrument for testing in the test chamber depends on the type of hearing instrument or device you wish to test. Regardless of form factor (the type of hearing instrument), the only two important things to remember are: • Aligning directional microphones along the loudspeaker axis. •

Positioning the reference microphone as close as possible to the front microphone of the hearing instrument without touching it. Single-microphone omni mode: If the hearing instrument is not capable of single-microphone omni mode, it is recommended that you position the hearing instrument at a 90° angle so that the distance is the same between the AURICAL HIT main loudspeaker and the two hearing instrument microphones.This also means that you must reposition the hearing instrument in the standard position before directional measurements are performed.

3.2.1

General guidelines for positioning the hearing instrument The absolute position of the hearing instrument is not critical, as long as the reference microphone is correctly positioned. You can position the hearing instrument to perform all standard hearing instrument tests without repositioning the hearing instrument between the individual tests: • acoustic measurements, •

inductive telecoil measurements,

•

directional microphone test.

1.

Positioning the hearing instrument –

Angle or turn the hearing instrument so that the front microphone (1) faces the main loudspeaker as it would when worn on a person’s ear.

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3 Testing hearing instruments

–

Position the hearing instrument so that a line through the front and rear directional microphones coincide with the loudspeaker axis.

BTE

2.

Thin tube and RIE

ITE

Positioning the reference microphone –

As a rule of thumb, position the reference microphone as close as possible to the front microphone of the hearing instrument without actually touching it. Maximum permitted distances are:

16

Vertically (Y axis)

8 mm (above)

Sideways (X axis)

±12 mm

Back-to-front (Z axis)

±3 mm

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3 Testing hearing instruments

BTE

Thin tube

ITE

3.2.2

Using the battery simulator 1. Select a battery simulator and insert it in the hearing instrument. With AURICAL HIT you receive a set of 4 color-coded battery simulators, which are used to power the hearing instrument. They are also used as probes for measuring the power consumption.

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3 Testing hearing instruments

Red

A5

Yellow

A10

Brown

R41

Orange

R48

Blue

R44

The metal strip between the battery simulator and the handle fits between the battery door and the hearing instrument casing. 2. Insert the mini-jack connector of the battery simulator in the battery simulator socket in the test chamber. AURICAL HIT automatically detects the battery simulator.

Caution • When you have connected the battery simulator, make sure that it does not touch other metal parts as this may shortcircuit the system.

3.2.3

Coupler adapters Adapters for use with the coupler are snapped onto the coupler cavity. The adapters in the Accessory Box make it easy to position hearing instruments in the test chamber for testing

•

HA-2 (BTE)

Traditional BTE hearing instruments ► 19

•

HA-1 (ITE, RIE, thin-tube)

Thin-tube hearing instruments ► 20 and ITE hearing instruments ► 21 •

18

Thin-tube hearing instruments ► 20

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3 Testing hearing instruments

To fix the hearing instrument on the adapter, snap the adapter off the coupler cavity, and attach the hearing instrument to the adapter outside the test chamber.

3.3

Traditional BTE hearing instruments This procedure applies to any type of standard BTE hearing instruments with traditional ear molds. Positioning the hearing instrument for directional testing is described in General guidelines for positioning the hearing instrument ► 15.

3.3.1

With BTE adapter tube 1. Attach the BTE adapter tube to the tube stub on the HA-2 BTE adapter. The tube must completely cover the tube stub on the adapter. If a metal wire protrudes from the BTE adapter tube, turn the tube upside down or use a new one.

2. Attach the hearing instrument to the free end of the BTE adapter tube so that the metal wires in the tube align with the sides of the hearing instrument. 3. Click the adapter with hearing instrument into place on the coupler and place the coupler in the low position in AURICAL HIT.

.

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3 Testing hearing instruments

4. Align the microphones along the loudspeaker axis. 5. Position the reference microphone as close as possible to the front microphone of the hearing instrument without touching. 6. Close the lid. You are ready to start testing.

3.4

Thin-tube hearing instruments This type of procedure applies to any type of thin-tube hearing instruments, including instruments with the Receiver In the Ear (RIE)/Receiver In the Canal (RIC), and pre-bent tubing. Positioning the hearing instrument for directional testing is described in General guidelines for positioning the hearing instrument ► 15.

3.4.1

Using the HA-1 ITE, RIE, thin-tube adapter 1. Remove the dome or tulip ear piece from the thin tube. 2. Wrap a thin roll of acoustic putty around the end of the thin tube. 3. Place the thin tube in the center of the hole in the HA-1 adapter so that the thin tube’s entry hole is flush with the underside of the adapter. 4. Press the acoustic putty firmly around the thin tube. 5. Position the hearing instrument horizontally on a piece of acoustic putty on the surface of the adapter so that the receiver part and the tubing are not subjected to twisting or excessive force. 6. If you place some acoustic putty on the receiver wire, this will shift its resonance frequency and prevent the wire from vibrating and creating feedback during testing.

7. Click the adapter with hearing instrument into place on the coupler and place the coupler in the high position in AURICAL HIT.

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Otometrics - AURICAL HIT