Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions, Preliminary Results for Validity of TEOAEs Implemented on Mimosa Acoustics T2K Measurement System v3.1.3

Abstract : The validity of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions needed to be determined for click and chirp stimuli implemented on the Mimosa Acoustics T2K Measurement System. The validity of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions was evaluated for the Mimosa Acoustics T2K Measurement System v3.1.3 in eight hearing-impaired ears. These ears should not produce TEOAEs, so any responses are likely to be due to measurement artifact. Click and chirp stimuli showed acceptable validity for stimulus levels from 38 to 50 dB SPL when the stimuli were presented in the nonlinear mode. Validity was not acceptable in linear mode. Transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions are sounds made by healthy inner ears to transient stimulation. They are thought to hold the potential for diagnosis and monitoring of noise-induced hearing loss in military hearing-conservation programs. Choosing TEOAE stimuli for use in hearing-conservation programs must include considering the validity of the measurement. This is to ensure that the measured TEOAEs are due to responses made by the inner ear and are not artifacts.