Audioscan RM500SL® User's Guide 3.
Table of Contents 1 About RM500SL....................................................................................................................................................................6 New in this software release................................................................................................................................................6 Product description........................................................................................................................
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Calibrating test box reference microphone........................................................................................................................38 Calibration check for coupler microphone........................................................................................................................39 Coupling the hearing instrument for ANSI tests............................................................................................
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 17 18 19 20 21 22 RECD protocols..................................................................................................................................................................69 RECD facts.........................................................................................................................................................................70 Insertion Gain.................................................................
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 23 24 25 26 General..............................................................................................................................................................................104 Test box............................................................................................................................................................................104 On-Ear............................................................................
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 1 About RM500SL This section describes the Audioscan RM500SL, provides contact, warranty and trademark information, safety warnings and notices and instructions for accessing the electronic User’s Guide. Note that the User's Guide may be viewed on the RM500SL at any time by pressing (For long Help pages, use (or mouse) to switch between the Help index and the Help page and arrows (or mouse) to scroll through the page).
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Declaration of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Medical electrical equipment needs special precautions regarding EMC and needs to be installed and put into service according to the following information: • The RM500SL should not be used adjacent to or stacked on other equipment. If this is necessary, its operation should be verified as normal in this configuration.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 to misuse, or unauthorized alteration or repair. This warranty does not apply to battery substitutes (pills), which carry a 90 day warranty. This warranty does not cover battery substitutes used in a hearing aid manufacturing facility. Trademarks: Audioscan, Axiom, Speechmap, Verifit and Viewport, are registered trademarks of Etymonic Design Inc. DSL is a registered trademark of the University of Western Ontario. All rights reserved.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Electronic User’s Guide A printable User’s Guide is on the system USB flash drive which contains the operating software. This User's Guide will be updated each time you download new software from www.audioscan.com to the system USB flash drive. Except for some additional reference material, this same information is available to you at any time by selecting Help on the RM500SL. A .pdf file viewer, such as Acrobat Reader (5.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 How to Avoid Undesirable Side Effects During the development of the hearing aid analyzer, Audioscan performed a rigorous Risk Assessment to identify any undesirable side effects that a user could be exposed to during the use of the RM500SL, and incorporated numerous risk reduction design elements into the RM500SL to minimize the risk to users and patients.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 2 Getting Started This section provides instructions for unpacking the RM500SL and connecting various components and associated items. Note that battery pills (SL-110), the RECD transducer (SL-100), the barcode scanner (VA-120) and a microphone extension cable (VA-131, VA133) are associated items which must be ordered separately. Unpacking and connecting 1.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 NOTE: A microphone extension cable (VA-131, 133) is available from Audioscan. Standard audio extension cables should not be used. They will substantially increase noise levels. General care instructions Probe tubes are for single patient use only. They may be wiped with alcohol wipes for re-use with the same patient, but must not be used with multiple patients.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Microphone care Coupler microphone: 1. DO NOT twist the cable when attaching a coupler to the coupler microphone. Turn only the coupler or unplug the coupler microphone before turning it. 2. DO NOT leave the coupler microphone plugged in when transporting. 3. DO make sure that the 2cc coupler is tightly screwed to the coupler microphone when performing hearing instrument tests. Coupler leakage can cause feedback and erratic response curves. 4.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Mouse, keyboard, barcode scanner The RM500SL may be operated from the built-in keypad, a USB mouse (not included) or a standard USB computer (QWERTY) keyboard (not included), which may also be used to enter headers and comments on printouts: See Input device operation. An optional barcode scanner may be connected to the USB port to enter threshold, UCL and RECD data directly from Audioscan printouts.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 WARNING: To avoid the risk of electrical shock, any line-powered peripheral equipment connected to this product must comply with UL/IEC 60601-1 OR comply with UL or IEC and ISO safety standards for such equipment AND a) be operated from an isolating transformer complying with UL/IEC 6061-1 OR b) be kept at least 6 feet (1.8 m) from the patient. Failure to follow operating instructions could place the user or operator at risk.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 3 General Operation This section describes the use of the built-in keypad, a QWERTY keyboard (not included) or a computer mouse (not included) to control the RM500SL and enter data. It also describes the use of an (optional) barcode scanner to enter data from printouts produced by Audioscan analyzers and provides instructions for updating the RM500SL operating software.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 2. Hold the printout so that the barcode is flat. With the scanner 6 – 8 in. (15 – 20 cm) from the barcode, press the trigger on the scanner and center the illuminated red line along the length of the barcode. 3. When the scan is successful, the scanner will 'beep', the red line will extinguish and a Barcode Entry poster will appear on the screen. A green checkmark on the poster shows which data have been accepted.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Keypad Button Arrows Arrows Round Key ( key) Function Summon context-sensitive Help Screen. Summon Setup Menu containing a list of RM500SL features that can be modified. Any modifications made will be maintained after power off. Summon Test Selection Menu containing a list of the available test procedures.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 a highlighted square at the right-hand end of a white window. A screen button with a down arrow indicates that it will summon a drop-down list of options, the current selection being shown in the window to its left. A plain button toggles between two choices; the current choice is shown in the window to its left.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 4 General Setup This section covers Date and Time setup, Display settings (including mouse pointer speed setting) and Saving test setup. Date and time setup To set the date and time that appears on printouts and calibration screens: 1. Press , then highlight and [Date & Time] on the Setup poster. 2. To change the date, highlight and the month window to display a drop-down list of months. 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 2. Highlight and [Save test setups on power off] to toggle between Yes and No. To enable/disable erasing of test levels, stimuli and assessment parameters when Erase data is selected: 1. Press , then highlight and [Save option] 2. Highlight and [Save test setups on erase data to toggle between Yes and No.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 5 Networking Connection to a computer network allows screen images to be printed on a network printer or on a shared printer on a networked PC. Images and underlying data may also be saved to a shared folder on a networked PC. See Printing and Storing Results for details. The RM500SL may also be connected to a single computer using a network router, switch or hub. Note that sharing data with NOAH is done over this network connection.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Note for network administrators: To manually change networking settings, uncheck Auto and click the Change button. NOAH Service Port Consult your Network Administrator before changing the NOAH service port. Changing the port successfully requires understanding the security polices on your Windows PC and computer network. The Audioscan NOAH Module communicates with the RM500SL through the NOAH network service.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 3. Select . 4. You will be prompted to restart the equipment. Select to restart, or to enter a different port number. Testing the NOAH service port The RM500SL provides the NOAH service using the HTTP protocol. Communication between the Windows PC and the RM500SL can be tested using an ordinary web browser. 1.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 6 Single computer connection Most office computers today are already connected to a network, through either a wired or wireless (wifi) interface. In these cases, the RM500SL must be added to the same network as the computer. (See Networking for details.) In cases where no network exists, the RM500SL can be networked directly to a single computer. There are two methods, depending on the network hardware available.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 255.255.255.0 in the Subnet mask box. 6. On the RM500SL, un-check Auto (use DHCP) on the Setup network screen and click the Change button. Then set the network addresses as shown below by clicking on the down arrow buttons and selecting from the drop-down lists. 7. On the RM500SL, uncheck Auto on the Setup network screen and click the Change button. Then set as shown below by clicking on the down arrow buttons and selecting from the drop-down lists. 8.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 7 Printing and Storing Results Pressing will cause the current screen image to be printed on the internal printer, on an external local printer, on a network printer, on a Windows-shared printer on a networked PC, or saved to file on a USB memory stick, or a Windows-shared file on a networked PC.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 7. Place the roll in the paper tray and advance another 10 in. (25 cm) of paper. 8. Lower the printer head using the small black lever. Press . If nothing shows on the paper when you press and the paper is coming out –check that the glossy side is up as it comes out of the printer. Unused thermal paper may darken if stored for prolonged periods at elevated temperatures and lose contrast if subjected to light.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 1000, D2680, D4160, 6940 and 460. Failure to follow operating instructions could place the user or operator at risk. 2. Press , then highlight and [Printing]. 3. Highlight & [USB]. 4. Highlight & [Printer details] (automatic if printer type is set to None). 5. Highlight & [Printer type]. 6. Highlight & your printer type.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Network printer setup To print to a network printer or to a Windows-shared printer on the network, you must first enable networking. See section Networking. To print to a printer on a Windows PC connected to a network, you must also share the printer on the PC by selecting Start, Settings and Printers. Then right click on the printer you wish to share and select Sharing.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 7. Press to save the settings and exit the setup menu. 8. To save a screen image to a file, press . NOTE: To input a file name from a connected keyboard each time you print, see Barcodes, tabular data, headers and comments on printouts. To save all test data as an xml file, see Storing and restoring data.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 store features saves this database in xml format which may be viewed with a web browser or imported into an Excel spreadsheet or returned to the RM500SL to recreate the session. The data is saved in a file which you can name using a connected computer keyboard. This name (the Client ID) may not contain ! ~ ` @ # $ % ^ & * + = \ / ? < , .>.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 2. Highlight and [Restore session from file]. 3. Highlight and the Client ID list button. This will display a list of Client IDs with the first entry highlighted. 4. Use the mouse or the arrow keys on the keypad or connected keyboard to move the highlight in the list, OR start typing the file name on a connected keyboard. The highlight will move to the closest match as you type. 5.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 8 Test Box Measures - Setup The appearance of Test box measures screens may be changed in several ways. Most screens may be formatted to show results in graphical or tabular format. The Multicurve screen may be scaled in dB SPL or dB Gain. Individual curves may be hidden (but not erased). Test box screen For most tests, two completely separate sets of test results, labeled A and B, may be retained and displayed.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 3. Press to return to the test screen. Hiding a curve does not erase it. To erase curves use the key. 1996 or 2003 ANSI standard Automated tests of linear and AGC hearing aids may be conducted according to either the ANSI S-3.22-1996 or ANSI S3.22-2003 test standards. For differences, see ANSI S3.22-1996 facts and ANSI S3.22-2003 facts To select the standard to be used: 1. Press [ANSI] 2.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Calibrating test box reference microphone Remove any coupler from the coupler microphone before calibration. 1. Position the test box reference microphone opening concentric with the coupler microphone opening and about 1 – 2 mm from as shown below. 2. Close and seal the test chamber. 3. Press , then highlight and [Test box measures], then highlight and [Calibration]. 4.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Calibration check for coupler microphone Accuracy of test box measurements depends on the calibration of the coupler microphone. This should be checked regularly using a microphone calibrator with an adapter ring. The RE780 (1 1/8 in.) and RE781 (1in.) rings are designed for Quest CA22 and QC-10/20 respectively. To verify the coupler microphone calibration: 1. Calibrate the test box reference microphone. See Calibrating test box reference microphone 2.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 When threading the couplers onto the coupler microphone, it is very important that they be firmly tightened to ensure a good acoustic seal. Avoid twisting the coupler microphone cable – turn the coupler not the microphone or unplug the microphone while tightening the coupler. BTE instruments are coupled to the HA-2 coupler by means of a 9 mm length of black Viton tubing. The only purpose of this tubing is to seal the tip of the earhook to the coupler inlet.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Positioning the hearing instrument 1. The hearing instrument should be coupled to the appropriate coupler and a battery or battery pill installed. See Coupling the hearing instrument and Battery pill use and care. 2. Place the instrument and coupler in the test chamber so that the microphone opening(s) of the instrument are on the crossbar within the test zone. 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 9 ANSI Hearing Aid Tests These tests follow the procedures of ANSI S3.22-1996 or ANSI S3.22-2003 as selected in Setup. See 1996 or 2003 ANSI standard : Linear: An automated test sequence for linear hearing aids per ANSI S3.22. AGC: An automated test sequence for AGC hearing aids per ANSI S3.22. Input/Output: 1 - 4 curves of coupler SPL vs input SPL at .25, .5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 The OSPL90 curve, the HFA (or SPA) and peak value of this curve, the frequency of the peak, the HFA (or SPA) full-on gain are determined at full-on gain setting. The response curve, frequency range, Reference Test Gain, battery drain, equivalent input noise, distortion, attack and release times are determined at RTS. These changes result in more consistent values for reference test gain, equivalent input noise and attack and release time.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 settings that result in the highest gain for soft sounds and the lowest gain for loud sounds. This will typically result in the lowest compression threshold, a flat I/O curve and the longest attack/release times. These are not 'typical' characteristics but indicate the adjustment range possible for these parameters. If you are unsure which test sequence to run, try [AGC] first. If attack and release times are all near zero, the instrument is probably linear.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 used. See ANSI S3.22-1996 facts and ANSI S3.22-2003 facts. The [Input/Output] test allows you to generate up to 4 separate input/output curves at each of 5 individual frequencies (250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz) as provided in ANSI S3.22. 1. Press , then highlight and [Test box measures], then highlight and [Input/Output]. 2.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 1. First, complete an ANSI [Linear] or [AGC] test, then press . 2. Highlight & [Test box measures], then highlight and [Telecoil]. 3. Set the aid to ‘T’ (telecoil input). 4. Highlight and [Start TMFS test]. Test setup instructions are displayed. 5. Position the aid on the ‘T’ inscribed on the test chamber floor.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 10 Other Test Box Measures In addition to the tests of ANSI S3.22, the RM500SL also provides the following tests in the test box: Manual control: Coupler and test box reference mic. SPL and coupler mic. distortion at selected 1/12th octave frequencies and stimulus SPL of 0 and 40 – 90 dB in 5 dB steps. Can be used as a dual channel sound level meter with 1/12th octave, A and C filters.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 responded. Multicurve procedure Multicurve generates 1 to 4 output or gain response curves using either pink noise or swept pure tones at input levels ranging from 40 – 90 dB SPL and 0 dB (off). 1. Press , then highlight and [Test box measures], then highlight and [Multicurve]. 2. Refer to Coupling the hearing instrument, Positioning the hearing instrument and Battery pill use and care to prepare the instrument for testing. 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 and displayed at 1/12th octave frequencies. Battery drain test The battery drain test automatically measures the battery current when there is no input signal (quiescent), when the input signal is a 1 kHz tone at 65 dB SPL and the average of the currents when the input signal is 90 dB SPL at the HFA or SPA frequencies (Avg @ 90 dB). Battery life is estimated assuming 80% quiescent and 20% Avg @ 90 dB use. With the hearing instrument set as normally used: 1.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 2. Highlight and the Level window, then highlight and the desired stimulus level from the drop-down list. 3. Highlight and the Frequency window, then highlight and the desired frequency from the drop-down list. (Distortion measurement data is available only from 200-4000 Hz.) 4. Highlight and [Start test] to start the test. [Start test] changes to [Stop Test]. To stop the measurement, highlight and [Stop test].
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 11 Sensory loss simulator Sensory loss simulator description A pure conductive loss attenuates loud and soft sounds equally, and is easily simulated by just turning down the volume or inserting an earplug. Losses of a sensory nature are more complex and more difficult to simulate. The most common sensory loss is caused by outer hair cell damage and results in loss of audibility for soft sounds but near-normal loudness for loud sounds.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 12 On-Ear Measures - Setup For accurate, repeatable measurements, the RM500SL must be properly set up and calibrated, the client must be properly positioned and the probe tube must be properly positioned in the ear canal. Some common terms: Real-Ear Unaided Response (REUR): SPL, or band SPL, in the open (unaided) ear canal for a given stimulus. Real-Ear Unaided Gain (REUG): Difference, in dB, between the REUR and the stimulus SPL, or stimulus band SPL.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 4. Hold the probe module 15 - 90 cm (6 – 36 inches) away from and directly in front of the sound-field loudspeaker. Orientation of the probe module is not critical. 5. Press to calibrate. The resulting curve should be similar in shape to that shown but may be shifted +/- 5 dB. 6. To change the calibration interval, highlight & [Daily] or [Weekly].
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 5. Hold the probe module about 18 in. (0.5 m) in front of the sound-field speaker. 6. Hold the microphone of a calibrated sound level meter next to the on-ear reference microphone as shown. Set the sound level meter to C weighting and slow. 7. The sound level meter should read 70 ±2 dB. 8. Repeat with the frequency at 250 Hz. 9. To stop the measurement, highlight and [Stop test]. The probe module should be replaced if it fails this test.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 To choose a different Max TM SPL setting: 1. Press , then highlight and [Max TM SPL]. 2. Highlight and the current Max TM SPL setting. 3. Highlight and the desired Max TM SPL setting from the drop-down list. 4. Press to exit Setup. This Max TM SPL setting will be in effect until you change it. If the limit is exceeded during an on-ear test, the RM500SL will terminate the test and display the message 'MAX TM SPL EXCEEDED'.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 1. Choose a quiet location and position the client and the sound-field speaker at least 1.5 m (5 feet) away from any hard surfaces. 2. Position the client directly in front of, and facing, the sound-field speaker at a distance of 45 to 90 cm (18 to 36 in.) from the center of the head. Positioning the probe tube 1. Use an otoscope to ensure there is no ear canal obstruction (e.g. cerumen) and to get a sense of ear canal length. 2.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 13 On-Ear Measures Screen Setup To accommodate your working preferences, the appearance of On-ear measurement screens may be changed in several ways. On-ear right or left display The RM500SL can retain and display On-ear test results for two ears. To switch between left and right test results, press the key. Graph, table or 2cc target format Most on-ear test screens may be viewed in graphic or tabular format.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 To change the scale: Highlight and [Scale] to toggle between a dB SPL and dB HL scale. Hide or show on-ear curves To hide or show test curve(s): 1. Highlight, then Curve [Hide/Show]. 2. Highlight, then the desired test to toggle between the Hide or Show options. The curve will toggle on or off when selected.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 14 On-Ear Instrument Measures A number of the tests covered in Test box measures can also be performed with the hearing instrument coupled to the ear of a client rather than to a 2cc coupler. The on-ear results may be expected to differ from the test box results because of the different acoustic environment and the different acoustic load.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 4. Highlight and a stimulus level from the list box. 5. Highlight and [Start test] 6. Highlight and [Continue] to capture the comparison curve once the noise reduction function has responded. On-ear manual control 1. Refer to On-Ear Measures - Setup to prepare the system for use and for proper positioning of the client and the probe tube. 2.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 5. Highlight and [Start test] to start the test. [Start test] changes to [Stop Test]. To stop the measurement, highlight and [Stop test]. You may change Level and Frequency without stopping the test. Sound level meter using on-ear microphones The manual control feature enables the RM500SL to be used as a sound level meter to perform C-weighted, Aweighted or 1/12th octave analysis of sound as measured by the probe and reference microphones.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 15 Occlusion Effect Test The occlusion effect refers to the unnatural sound of one’s own voice that results from occluding the external ear. It is the result of the high SPL produced at the back of the throat during a closed vowel utterance coupling to the closed ear canal via bone conduction. Ear canal levels in a closed ear canal can exceed 90 dB SPL for closed vowels such as 'ee'. The effect is greatest below 1000 Hz.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 16 RECD measurement The RECD (real-ear to coupler difference) may be individually measured to improve the accuracy of hearing aid fittings. The measurement procedure may be accessed by selecting RECD from the On-ear tests list or from the Audiometry poster within Speechmap.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Measure RECD Connect the RECD transducer to the RECD jack on the front of the test chamber. Prepare the system for on-ear tests. See Calibration of on-ear probe microphone. 1. Press then highlight and [On-ear measures], then highlight and [RECD].
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 2. Select the RECD coupling method that will be used on the ear. Audioscan software supports both foam eartips and personal earmold, however this choice must be made prior to measurement. 3. If no RECD calibration exists or the measurement interval has been exceeded, go to 15.3: Calibration of RECD coupler. If a valid transducer calibration exists, highlight and [Measure real ear]. 4.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 ANSI S3.46(2013) RECD The ANSI S3.46(2013) Real Ear standard advises RECD measurement protocols that make the RECD a property of the ear itself, and independent of transducer or acoustic coupling. To achieve this accuracy certain conditions must be met in both RECD measurement and Test-box Speechmap coupling.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 and the implications of each. ANSI S3.46 method: RECD On-ear measurement: Audioscan RECD transducer + foam eartip Test-box Speechmap coupling: client’s personal earmold + HA-1 (ITE) coupler With this method, RECD is a property of the ear only, and not dependent on the transducer or sound source coupling. The earmold effects will be part of the measurement in the test box.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 hearing aids and is approximately true for insert earphones with the supplied foam tips. The acoustic impedance of insert earphones drops if the foam tip is replaced by an earmold or the tubing that forms part of the HA-2 coupler. At some frequencies, for BTE hearing aids with their earhooks and earmold tubing (or the HA-2 coupler tubing), the acoustic impedance approaches that of an adult ear and falls below that of a child's ear.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 17 Insertion Gain Insertion gain is the difference between aided and unaided ear canal SPL (REIG = REAG - REUG). It inherently assumes a sound-field audiogram. For non-linear hearing aids, REIG is stimulus-dependent and the dependency is specific to each hearing aid. Insertion gain fitting methods ignore these facts. Speechmap is recommended for fitting all linear and non-linear hearing instruments.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Insertion gain in HL Refer to On-Ear Measures - Setup and On-Ear Measures Screen Setup for terminology and information on preparing the system for use and for proper positioning of the client and the probe tube 1. Press , then highlight and [On-ear measures], then highlight and [Insertion gain] 2. Highlight and [Instrument] to chose from BTE, ITE, ITC, CIC, Body. This changes the CORFIG used for 2cc targets. 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 manually using a mouse, the keypad or the numeric keypad on an external keyboard. See Mouse, keyboard, barcode scanner and Input device operation. To enter data from a barcode see Barcode data input and: 1. Press the barcode trigger and center the red line on the barcode from a distance of 6 – 8 in. (15 – 20 cm). The scanner will beep and the Barcode entry poster opens. 2. Highlight and [Done] to accept the data indicated on the poster.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 data at this time (see Audiometric data entry) or press to proceed with the measurement. 4. Highlight and REUR (below REAR/REIG test 3). 5. Press to accept the default 55 dB SPL Pink noise stimulus and capture the REUR curve OR highlight and [Stimulus] and [Level] to select other values. These choices have no impact on the resulting REIG. 6.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Insertion gain NOTE: Because it is analyzed in 1/3 octave bands, the Noise stimulus produces a REAR up to 12 dB below that produced by the Swept stimulus at the same overall level. The REIGs will be similar except at levels which cause non-linear operation of the hearing instrument. SII calculation in Insertion gain The RM500SL calculates a Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) value for unaided speech at 70 dB SPL (REUR), the target REIG and for each aided test.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 18 Speechmap Speechmap presents hearing threshold, UCL and amplified speech spectra as SPL in the ear canal. The fitting goal is to make amplified speech audible and comfortable while avoiding discomfort for loud sounds. Speechmap may be accessed from the Tests menu as either a Test box measure or an On-ear measure. See Onear or Test box mode for details. Speechmap is normally used in SPL and this guide describes only this usage.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 3. There is no provision to input the number of compression channels. This may be useful when the signal used for verification is not the signal for which the targets were developed. It is irrelevant when using real-speech signals to match speech targets and when using narrow-band signals to match narrow-band maximum output targets. 4.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 are of little value in estimating amplified speech levels. Matching amplified speech to the LTASS targets at levels from 50 to 75 dB SPL provides much better assurance that fitting goals are being met. 4. There is no requirement to input client gender. The impact of gender on REAR targets is less than +/- 1dB. 5. There is no requirement to input hearing aid experience. An "Experienced" user is assumed.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 • To access Speechmap: press , then highlight and [On-ear measures] or [Test box measures], then highlight and [Speechmap]. • To change screen setup: see On-Ear Measures Screen Setup, and On-ear or Test box mode. • To set up hearing instrument type: highlight & [Instrument], then highlight & BTE, ITE, ITC, CIC, RITE (receiver in the ear – test box mode), Open (On-ear mode), Body, CROS (On-ear mode) or FM.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 2. To remove a checked stimulus from the list, highlight and the stimulus you want to remove. You can also choose to have the envelopes of the speech test results automatically hidden (leaving only the LTASS) when you start another test. Highlight and the Hide speech envelopes button to toggle between automatically and manually. When you have finished making your selections, press to exit Setup.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Screen tour - aided screen On-ear or Test box mode The Speechmap environment provides two hearing instrument verification options: On-ear measures and Test box measures. Using on-ear mode, the stimulus is controlled by the on-ear reference microphone below the ear and SPL in the ear canal is measured by the probe microphone.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 the hearing aid settings and cannot be reliably predicted from 2cc coupler measurements. SII calculation in Speechmap The RM500SL calculates a Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) value (in %) for unaided speech at 65 dB SPL and for each aided test. The calculations use the 1/3 octave band method of ANSI S3.5 –1997 without the 160 Hz band and without masking effects with results expressed as a % by multiplying by 100.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 2. Format the USB stick for data using the Audioscan Updater. 3. Create digital sound files that are compatible with Speechmap (see Creating WAV files for Speechmap). 4. Copy the WAV files from the PC to the top level directory (i.e. not in any folder) of the USB stick. 5. Disconnect the USB stick from the PC and connect it to the USB port on the RM500SL. 6. Start a Test in Speechmap (see Using Speechmap). 7. [Stimulus].
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 • Removing the USB stick while a Test post is open may cause unexpected behavior. Close the Test post before removing the USB stick from the RM500SL. Creating WAV files for Speechmap WAV is a commonly used format for digital audio and can be created/edited by nearly all audio editing and recording software. A WAV file has many properties that define the format of the digital audio.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Example of user-supplied files, “user.wav”, “user_-4.wav” and “user_+2.5.wav”.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 19 Speechmap Fitting Procedures The Speechmap fitting screen provides a number of choices for inputing and applying audiometric data for the verification of hearing instrument fittings. The procedures in this section assume a familiarity with Test Box Measures - Setup, On-Ear Measures - Setup, On-Ear Measures Screen Setup and Speechmap.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Assessment data choices The following audiometric assessment parameters can be specified in the Speechmap Audiometry setup box. Defaults are the last-used choices if test setup memory has been turned on. See Saving test setup. 1. Target: Select fitting targets from [DSL adult, DSL child, NAL-NL1, NAL-NL2 Camfit restoration, Camfit equalization, None]. See DSL 5.0 in Speechmap, NAL-NL1 in Speechmap, NAL-NL2 in Speechmap, Camfit in Speechmap. 2.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Enter, Measure] if the target rule is NAL-NL2 or [Average, Enter, Measure] otherwise. The RECD is used to convert entered HL data (thresholds and UCL's) to SPL values on the Speechmap screen (when Insert+Foam or Insert+Mold is selected as HL Transducer) and to convert coupler SPL measured in the test box to estimated ear canal SPL.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Fitting to targets for loud sounds 4. Select Test 2 & set stimulus to [MPO]. In test box mode, 90 dB tone bursts are presented at 1/3 octave frequencies in a repeating sequence. In on-ear mode, a single sequence of 85 dB tone bursts is presented when you press . 5. In test box mode, adjust high-level gain and/or output limiting (e.g.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 to run the complete passage. Repeat as necessary. Achieving this goal may require adjusting gain for soft speech, which will reduce its audibility. This may be a necessary compromise with some hearing instruments and for clients with a very narrow dynamic range. Open fittings in Speechmap On-ear mode should be used for open and vented fittings.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Verifying Frequency Compression/ Frequency-Lowering Hearing Instruments in Speechmap Frequency lowering is used when it is not possible to amplify the high frequency components of speech sufficiently to raise them above threshold. In this case, the high frequency components may be shifted to a lower frequency with a better hearing threshold where the available gain will render them audible.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 appear in the Test 1 curve, it may indicate that the hearing aid has no gain at the selected band frequency. This does not mean that the hearing aid will be unable to transpose the band to a lower frequency when frequency lowering is enabled. 6. Program the hearing instrument to activate the frequency-lowering feature. 7. Select Test 2 and select the same stimulus and stimulus level used in Test 1. 8.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 It is assumed that the hearing aid has been set up for optimal audibility and maximum output. See other sections of Speechmap Fitting Procedures. 1. Before attaching the FM receiver, couple the hearing aid to the 2cc coupler in the test box and select Speechmap from the Test box measures menu. Select the appropriate hearing Instrument type (typically BTE). 2. Highlight and Test 1 and choose Speech-std(1), (2) or the ISTS at a Level of 65 dB.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 20 Speechmap Technical Details Speechmap provides a variety of stimuli for the testing of non-linear hearing aids with a range of digital processing features. Additional information regarding the stimuli and their analysis is provided in Appendix 2 of the printable User's Guide. Speechmap stimuli The Speechmap fitting environment provides a number of well-controlled, distinctly different stimuli for both On-ear and Test box measurement modes.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 spectrum is from Cornelisse et al (1991) adjusted to a 1 m reference. Hz Standard 1/3 octave band SPL Speech ISTS Female Child ICRA Noise Add to band SPL for Own FM FM Loud Voice Chest Boom Pink Noise 200 56.8 57.0 54.9 32.3 52.9 53 -2.2 .5 9.0 19.2 250 56.0 57.0 53.1 51.5 55.9 53 3.3 10.7 12.0 22.2 315 53.0 53.8 48.4 57.3 56.9 53 9.6 11.0 16.6 26.0 400 57.0 57.4 55.8 54.1 57.5 53 6.1 10.0 13.3 22.8 500 58.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 1600 2.5 -0.3 -1.9 2.0 -4.0 6.1 2000 4.1 3.8 2.1 3.3 -4.0 6.1 2500 3.5 5.0 4.8 5.0 -3.0 6.4 3150 2.8 3.3 3.5 6.9 -2.0 6.6 4000 3.7 4.3 6.4 8.3 0.0 7.7 5000 -1.2 4.3 6.6 7.6 0.0 8.1 6300 8000 1.6 3.3 -0.4 1.0 -1.8 -1.9 4.2 -5.6 0.0 0.0 8.4 8.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 21 Troubleshooting This section covers common problems encountered when using the RM500SL. If you require further assistance, note your model and serial number (located next to the power switch) and contact your local distributor, or Audioscan at 519-268-3313 800-265-2093 (USA only), 519-268-3256 (fax) or service@audioscan.com PLEASE DO NOT SHIP YOUR UNIT BACK TO THE FACTORY.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Test box high distortion or noise High distortion and/or noise numbers in an ANSI test • There may be a leak between the hearing instrument under test and the coupler it is connected to. For BTE type instruments, check the integrity of the #13 tubing at the end of the coupler where it joins with the ear hook. Look for cracks. ITE type instruments need to have a good seal between the hearing instrument and the coupler.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Test box speaker overdriven! • This message indicates that the test chamber speaker is unable to produce the SPL required for a test. • Check that the test chamber lid is closed and sealed. • Check that the test box calibration looks normal. • Check that the hearing instrument under test is not feeding back. • Try running an On-ear test. No test box reference mic. detected No test box reference mic.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 place. Try Test box calibration using the reference microphone of the on-ear probe microphone in place of the test box reference microphone. If this is fails, the on-ear probe microphone is defective and must be replaced. Invalid on-ear calibration Invalid on-ear microphone calibration! This message may be displayed during the on-ear calibration procedure. It indicates that the calibration curve is significantly different from what is expected.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 If your scanner has a Unitech logo, scan the following barcode to reset the scanner to its default settings.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Test Stimuli.......................tone, tone burst,pink noise, ...............................................calibrated or live speech Test stimulus levels.....40 to 90 dB SPL in 5 dB steps Test stimulus levels (inductive).............31.6mA/m per .....................................................(ANSI S3.22 - 2003) Test stimulus distortion....................<2% at 90dB SPL .....................................................<0.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Test stimulus accuracy at reference mic. for tones (2000- 8000 Hz)..........................................±3 dB SPL Equalization Method...........modified pressure method ...............................................(stored for open fittings) Frequencies per octave (swept tones).....................12 Frequencies per octave (tone burst)..........................3 Analysis bandwidth (speech, noise)............1/3 octave Measurement accuracy at 1 kHz.........
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RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 23 Glossary AGC, Automatic Gain Control, the means by which gain is automatically controlled by the level of the signal being amplified. (ANSI S3.22) AGC-I, input-controlled AGC (see "input compression"). AGC-O, output controlled AGC (see "output compression"). AGRAM, Abbreviation for audiogram. ANSI, American National Standards Institute.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 FOG, full on gain, gain for a 50 dB input SPL with the gain control set to maximum ANSI S3.22) Gain (in dB), output sound pressure relative to input sound pressure, expressed in decibels; gain = 20log10 (output sound pressure / input sound pressure); also, gain = (output SPL) - (input SPL). Gain control, a manually or electronically operated control for the adjustment of overall gain (ANSI S3.22).
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 MPO, Maximum Power Output, the maximum SPL that a hearing aid can deliver in response to a steady narrow band input. The stimulus may be pulsed (a tone burst) to avoid discomfort and to approximate an aided UCL measurement stimulus. Modulation, the process of varying a characteristic of one signal with another.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 REOR is used to evaluate the seal of an earmold. It is not related to the required gain of a hearing aid. REUG, Real-Ear Unaided Gain , difference, in dB as a function of frequency, between the SPL (or BSPL) at a specified measurement point in the ear canal and the SPL (or BSPL) at a field reference point, for a specified sound field, with the ear unoccluded (ANSI S3.46).
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 uncomfortable. VGA, video graphics adapter. VC, Volume Control, a user-operated gain control. Warble Tone, a frequency-modulated sine wave. The modulating signal is often a low frequency triangle wave. 1. Valente, M: Strategies for Selecting and Verifying Hearing Aid Fittings. New York:Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.,1994. ANSI S3.5, Methods for Calculation of the Speech Intelligibility Index, 1997 ANSI S3.6, Specification for Audiometers, 1996 ANSI S3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 24 References AAA Clinical Practice Guidelines: Remote Microphone Hearing Assistance Technologies for Children and Youth Birth-21 Years. Supplement A: Fitting and Verification Procedures for Ear-level FM. Draft 2007. American National Standards Institute. (1997). American National Standard Methods of Measurement of RealEar Performance Characteristics of Hearing Aids. ANSI S3.46-1997. New York: American National Standards Institute.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 Hawkins, D.B., Walden, B.E., Montgomery, A.A., & Prosek, R.A., (1987). Description and validation of an LDL procedure designed to select SSPL90. Ear and Hearing ,8:162-169. Killion, M. C., & Monser, E. L. (1980). "Corfig: Coupler response for flat insertion gain." In G. A. Studebaker and I. Hochberg (Eds.),. Acoustical Factors Affecting Hearing Aid Performance. Baltimore: University Park Press. Lewis, D.E., Feigin, J.A., Karasek, A.E., & Stelmachowicz, P.G.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 characteristics for young children. Journal of the Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology, 20, 25-38. Seewald, R., Moodie, S. T., Scollie, S. & Bagatto, M. (2005). The DSL method for pediatric hearing instrument fitting: Historical perspective and current issues. Trends in Amplification, 9-4, 145-157. Seewald, R.C. & Moodie, K.S. (1992). Electroacoustic considerations. In M. Ross (ed), FM Auditory Training Systems: Characteristics, Selection, & Use.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.
RM500SL®User's Guide Version 3.12 March 2015 26 Appendix 2 AudioNote 2.1 VERIFIT and RM500SL Test Signals and Analysis For additional details of the signals and their analysis, see the appended AudioNote.
Bill Cole BASc, PEng 1 Introduction The Verifit and RM500SL are full-duplex dual-channel audio measurement systems designed for the testing and fitting of all types of hearing instruments and many assistive listening devices. They provide an acoustic test chamber for the testing of devices coupled to standard 2 cm3 couplers as well as soundfield speaker(s) for on-ear measurement of hearing aid performance.
2.1 Narrow-band signals 2.2 Broad-band signals 2.1.1 Sinusoidal (pure tones) Sinusoidal signals are used in the ANSI hearing aid tests, in Multicurve 2 cm3 frequency response tests (gain or output), in 2 cm3 and on-ear single frequency (manual) tests, in Insertion gain tests and in toneburst maximum output (MPO) tests. The MPO stimulus consists of a series 128ms tone bursts with 128ms gaps at an SPL of 90 dB SPL in the test box and 85 dB in the sound field.
2.2.2 Dual-direction pink noise signal (Verifit only) at the reference microphone. Two simultaneous reThis unique test signal is available in the dual-source Verifit test chamber and for on-ear measurements by adding an additional sound-field speaker. It is similar to the pink noise signal described previously except that the component tones are presented simultaneously from two speakers, half from each.
2.2.3 Real-speech signals Real-speech signals are provided in Speechmap for both On-ear and Test box measurement modes. Four different digitized speech passages (2 male, 1 female and 1 child) are provided as well as the International Speech Test Signal (ISTS) and the single-talker International Collegium of Rehabilitative Audiology (ICRA) distorted speech signal. In addition, one of the speech passages has been filtered to provide 3 variations for evaluating frequency-lowering hearing aids.
Figure 3: LTASS for Speechmap speech signals at average vocal effort Figure 4: LTASS for Speech-std(1), Speech4000, Speech5000, Speech6300 for the FM boom location effects of Figure 6. Note that curves are 1/3 octave band levels at 1/12 octave intervals which causes the 1/3 octave bands at 4000, 5000 and 6300 Hz to appear broader than 1/3 octave. For clarity, the Speech3150 curve has been omitted. 09/01/29 © Etymonic Design Incorporated, 20 Ludwig St.
Figure 5: Loud vocal effort effect in dB re nominal band levels. Nominal band levels are band levels for an overall SPL of 65 dB. This shaping is applied to the 75 dB SPL speech and ICRA signals. Figure 6: Microphone location effects in dB re nominal band SPL. Nominal band levels are band levels for an overall rms level of 65 dB SPL and average vocal effort in a free sound field.
In addition to these well-controlled and repeatable signals, live speech may be used as a test signal. It will, of course, be unequalized and at an uncontrolled level. 3 Analysis of broad-band signals Broad-band signals contain energy at many frequencies simultaneously. Such signals are usually analyzed in a series of narrow frequency bands to produce a spectrum.
3.1 Pink noise signal analysis requirement and, for this reason, all Speechmap pasAll band levels are calculated with an averaging time sages are at least 10 seconds long. The LTASS curves displayed in Speechmap are 1/3 octave band levels of 128 ms. at 1/12 octave intervals. It should be noted that this For a linear hearing aid, a pink noise stimulus will re- results in smoothing and the apparent broadening of sult in a response curve that has the same shape as the spectrum of a narrow-band signal.
The speech-reception threshold (SRT) is attained when the LTASS is at threshold (approximately - depending on test material and the individual). These scenarios are shown in Figures 10 - 12 which follow. several seconds to obtain a stable, repeatable result. However, the effects of adjustments to hearing aid parameters need to be seen quickly in order to be useful for optimization.
Figure 10: Speech is detectable but not understandable if the 99th percentile is at threshold Figure 11: When LTASS is at threshold, SII ≈ 33% which corresponds approximately to SRT 09/01/29 © Etymonic Design Incorporated, 20 Ludwig St., Dorchester, ON, Canada N0L 1G4 USA 800-265-2093 519-268-3313 FAX 519-268-3256 www.audioscan.
Figure 12: The highest SII is obtained when the entire speech envelope is above threshold Figure 13: Level of 99th percentile for Speechmap speech signals at average vocal effort 09/01/29 © Etymonic Design Incorporated, 20 Ludwig St., Dorchester, ON, Canada N0L 1G4 USA 800-265-2093 519-268-3313 FAX 519-268-3256 www.audioscan.
Figure 14: Level of 30th percentile for Speechmap speech signals at average vocal effort Figure 15: Dynamic range of Verifit speech signals at average vocal effort 09/01/29 © Etymonic Design Incorporated, 20 Ludwig St., Dorchester, ON, Canada N0L 1G4 USA 800-265-2093 519-268-3313 FAX 519-268-3256 www.audioscan.
