Clinical Comparison of a Hearing Aid, a Personal Sound Amplification Product, and a Wearable Augmented Reality Device

설혜윤,김가영,강수진,조미니,Ul Gyu Han,조영상,홍성화,문일준 대한이비인후과학회 2021 Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Vol.14 No.3

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Hearables as a Gateway to Hearing Health Care

설혜윤,문일준 대한이비인후과학회 2022 Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Vol.15 No.2

The market for hearing technology is evolving—with the emergence of hearables, it now extends beyond hearing aids and includes any ear-level devices with wireless connectivity (i.e., wireless earbuds). However, will this evolving marketplace bring forth opportunities or challenges to individuals’ hearing health care and the profession of audiology and otolaryngol- ogy? The debate has been ongoing. This study explores the wide spectrum of hearables available in the market and discuss- es the necessity of high-quality clinical evidence prior to the implementation of over-the-counter devices into clinical prac- tice.

일반 성인의 운율 변화에 따른 말소리 지각과 음도 및 선율윤곽 수행력 비교

설혜윤,김은연 한국콘텐츠학회 2023 한국콘텐츠학회논문지 Vol.23 No.8

의사소통 과정에서 말소리 지각은 필수적이며, 자모음과 같은 분절적 요소뿐 아니라 분절음에 얹히는 초분절적인 요소에 대한 지각 및 이해도 중요하다. 하지만, 난청인들의 말소리 지각 평가 및 재활에 활용되는 대부분의 검사와 재활도구들은 말소리의 분절적 요소에 초점이 맞춰져 왔다. 본 연구에서는 말소리의 초분절적인 요소를 반영한 말소리 운율변화 지각과제를 건청 성인을 대상으로 시행하여 난청인을 위한 말소리 운율지각 검사의 기초자료로 삼고자 한다. 청력평가를 위해 널리 사용하는 순음청력검사의 0 dBHL 기준은 정상 청력 청장년의 가청역치 평균을 의미하기에 20~30대 건청 성인을 대상으로 음소(/ㅏ/, /ㅓ/, /ㅣ/)와 단어(긍정 및 중립적 의미를 갖는 단어) 수준의 말소리 운율지각 과제, 그리고 음도와 선율윤곽 과제를 시행하여 수행력을 살펴보았다. 음소 및 단어과제에 덧붙여진 긍정 및 부정적인 운율에 따른 의미변화에 98% 이상의 정반응율을 보였고, 운율요소지각 과제에서도 95% 이상의 정반응율을 보였다. 성별 및 연령은 수행력에 영향을 주지 않았다. 본 연구에서 제안한 말소리 운율지각 과제가 향후 초분절적인 요소를 포함한 말소리 지각 수행력을 총체적으로 평가하는 검사 및 재활도구, 그리고 디지털치료콘텐츠 개발에 활용되기를 기대한다.

Experiences With the University Admission Process and Educational Support Among Students With Cochlear Implants in South Korea

조영상,김가영,설혜윤,김은연,문일준 대한이비인후과학회 2021 Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Vol.14 No.2

Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the current university admission rate and experiences of educational support among students with cochlear implants (CIs) in South Korea. Methods. A prospective online survey was conducted to examine the university admission process and academic support for students with CIs. Thirty individuals who took the college entrance exams at least 3 years after CI surgery were invited to participate, although two did not respond. The survey consisted of three topics (demographics, university admission process, and academic support) and 25 items regarding laws and policies related to university admission and support for students with hearing disabilities in Korea. Results. The university matriculation rate for students with CI was 85.7% (24/28), of whom 50% were admitted through the special admission process for students with disabilities. Most universities provided teaching and learning support and rental services for assistive devices for students with disabilities to help them better adapt to school life. However, only a small percentage of the students benefited from accommodation services, and 62.5% and 12.5% of the students received teaching and learning support and used assistive devices, respectively. Conclusion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the university admission process and university disability services for students with CIs in South Korea. The results of this study will be helpful for young CI recipients and their parents as they prepare for university entrance.

Feasibility of Personal Sound Amplification Products in Patients With Moderate Hearing Loss: A Pilot Study

김가영,김종세,조미니,설혜윤,조영상,문일준 대한이비인후과학회 2022 Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Vol.15 No.1

Objectives. This study was conducted to investigate the electroacoustic characteristics of personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), to identify whether PSAPs provide adequate gain and output for three common hearing loss (HL) configurations, and to compare the benefits of a representative PSAP (RPSAP) and a conventional hearing aid (HA) for clinical hearing outcomes as a pilot study. Methods. The study comprised three phases: electroacoustic analysis, simulated real-ear measurements (REMs), and clinical hearing experiments. Electroacoustic analysis and simulated REMs were performed for three basic PSAPs (BeethoSOL, EarJJang, and Geniesori2) and three high-end PSAPs (Hearing Able, Olive Smart Ear, and SoriIn) using the Aurical Hearing Instrument Test box with a 2-mL coupler. Four electroacoustic characteristics (maximum output sound pressure level at 90 dB SPL, frequency range, equivalent input noise, and total harmonic distortion) were investigated. By simulated REMs, appropriate levels of the six PSAPs for three common HL configurations (mild-to-moderate high-frequency HL, moderate to moderately severe sloping HL, and moderate flat HL) were determined. Clinical experiments compared the performance of RPSAP to HA, both of which were fitted by audiologists using REMs. Clinical experiments were administered using functional gain, a word recognition test, and the Korean version of the Hearing in Noise Test in six participants with bilateral moderate sensorineural HL. Results. The two high-end devices met all tolerances. One basic and two high-end PSAPs showed appropriate levels for three common HL configurations. In the clinical experiments, the RPSAP showed better performance than unaided, but slightly worse than HA under all test conditions. Conclusion. Certain PSAPs met all specified tolerances for electroacoustic analysis and approximated prescriptive targets in well-controlled laboratory conditions. The pilot clinical experiments explored the possibility that the RPSAP could serve as a hearing assistive device for patients with moderate HL.

Factors Influencing Hearing Aid Satisfaction in South Korea

김가영,조영상,변혜민,설혜윤,임지현,박진균,문일준 연세대학교의과대학 2022 Yonsei medical journal Vol.63 No.6

Purpose: The purpose of this study is three-fold: 1) to evaluate factors influencing hearing aid (HA) satisfaction; 2) to provide aprofile of HA satisfaction in daily life; and 3) to examine the reasons why people gave up using HAs. Materials and Methods: Data for 1148 respondents were statistically analyzed and reported. Results: In the study, age (β=-0.03, p<0.01), level of education (β=1.21, p<0.01), HA purchase price (β=1.50, p<0.01), bilateral amplification(β=1.23, p<0.01), wearing time (β=0.28, p<0.01), and HA fitting and fine tuning on a regular basis (β=1.71, p<0.01) significantlyinfluenced HA satisfaction. In addition, the authors observed that the most satisfactory factors were clarity of sound(53.5%), people’s trust in their HA (61.7%), and listening from a quiet environment (72.8%) in the domains of sound quality, HAfeatures, and listening environments, respectively. Finally, with multiple choices being possible, 65% of the 40 respondents whono longer used HAs answered that their HAs ended up in a drawer since the background noise was annoying and distracting. Conclusion: This study is significant in that it is a large-scale multi-center research to comprehensively examine the factors influencingHA satisfaction in South Korea. This data will provide helpful information that could lead to the successful rehabilitationof hearing loss with HAs.

Effect of Cochlear Implant Electrode Array Design on Electrophysiological and Psychophysical Measures: Lateral Wall versus Perimodiolar Types

이지영,홍성화,문일준,김은연,백은주,설혜윤,강시형 대한청각학회 2019 Journal of Audiology & Otology Vol.23 No.3

Background and Objectives: The present study aims to investigate whether the cochlear implant electrode array design affects the electrophysiological and psychophysical measures. Subjects and Methods: Eighty five ears were used as data in this retrospective study. They were divided into two groups by the electrode array design: lateral wall type (LW) and perimodiolar type (PM). The electrode site was divided into three regions (basal, medial, apical). The evoked compound action potential (ECAP) threshold, T level, C level, dynamic range (DR), and aided air conduction threshold were measured. Results: The ECAP threshold was lower for the PM than for the LW, and decreased as the electrode site was closer to the apical region. The T level was lower for the PM than for the LW, and was lower on the apical region than on the other regions. The C level on the basal region was lower for the PM than for the LW whereas the C level was lower on the apical region than on the other regions. The DRs on the apical region was greater for the PM than for the LW whereas the DR was narrower on the apical region than on the other regions. The aided air conduction threshold was not different for the electrode design and frequency. Conclusions: The current study would support the advantages of the PM over the LW in that the PM had the lower current level and greater DR, which could result in more localized neural stimulation and reduced power consumption.