AudiologyOnline Phone: 800-753-2160


Phonak Lumity - September 2023

Should I Apply Non-linear Frequency Compression for Mild Hearing Losses?

Christine Jones, AuD, CCC-A

July 7, 2014

Share:

Question

Should I apply non-linear frequency compression (NFC) for mild hearing losses?

Answer

Due to bandwidth limitations that exist for all commercially available ear-level hearing instruments, there is evidence that NFC can aid in the detection of very high-frequency environmental sounds and phonemes, in particular the /s/ phoneme for female talkers which peaks around 9kHz.  As the third most common letter and one of the most important linguistic markers in the English language denoting plurality, possession and sometimes tense, audibility for /s/ is required for optimal understanding.  In the case of mild hearing loss, the NFC parameters are set very lightly with no compression applied below about 5kHz.  This is intended to provide the additional high-frequency access with minimal impact on signal quality.

Wolfe et al. (submitted, JAAA) studied the benefit of NFC for mild hearing loss in a group of 11 children.  Data showed significant improvement in the detection of an 8kHz warble tone and the female production of /s/ when compared to performance with the same device with NFC off.  It is important to recognize that most clinical tools, including speech material and electro-acoustic measurements, will not be sensitive to changes in audibility at 9kHz.  In this study, the Phonak Phoneme Perception Test (PPT) and aided threshold testing using warble tones were the measures used that were sensitive to the benefits obtained with NFC.

This Ask the Expert was taken from the article and text course, Sound Bytes on SoundRecover – view the complete article for more information.

References

Wolfe, J., et al. (Submitted). Journal of the American Academy of Audiology.

For more information, please visit www.phonakpro.com or the Phonak Expo Page on AudiologyOnline.


christine jones

Christine Jones, AuD, CCC-A

Director, Pediatric Clinical Research, Phonak

Christine joined Phonak in 2001.  She currently serves as the Director of Pediatric Clinical Research.   In this role, Christine is responsible for managing external pediatric clinical research and supporting Phonak's position as a technology and service innovator across the worldwide Pediatric market.   She  assists with the ongoing development and substantiation of an evidence-based pediatric roadmap.  Christine received her Master’s degree in Audiology from Vanderbilt University and her Doctorate of Audiology from Central Michigan University. 

 


Related Courses

61% Better Hearing in Noise: The Roger Portfolio
Presented by Steve Hallenbeck
Recorded Webinar
Mon, May 20, 2024 at 12:00 pm EDT
Phonak

Presenter

Steve Hallenbeck
Course: #38656Level: Introductory1 Hour
  'Clear and concise'   Read Reviews
Every patient wants to hear better in noise, whether it be celebrating over dinner with a group of friends or on a date with your significant other. Roger technology provides a significant improvement over normal-hearing ears, hearing aids, and cochlear implants to deliver excellent speech understanding.

View this Course for FREE.
Need CEUs? Become a AudiologyOnline member to get unlimited CEUs.

Only $129/yr

Learn More

Rogerpedia
Presented by Cheri Hebeisen, AuD, CCC-A
Recorded Webinar
Phonak

Presenter

Cheri Hebeisen, AuD, CCC-A
Course: #36871Level: Intermediate1 Hour
  'Great information about Roger'   Read Reviews
Roger is a remote microphone technology using proprietary signal processing, such as adaptive gain and multibeam, to help create an enhanced sound experience for hearing in background noise. This presentation will cover the development of Roger, the various types of microphones that are available, and real world applications.

View this Course for FREE.
Need CEUs? Become a AudiologyOnline member to get unlimited CEUs.

Only $129/yr

Learn More

Unlocking the Key to a Simple and Effective In-office Demonstration Using Phonak Audeo Marvel
Presented by Jonathan Brittian, AuD
Recorded Webinar
Phonak

Presenter

Jonathan Brittian, AuD
Course: #32778Level: Introductory1 Hour
  'Thanks for the tips'   Read Reviews
This course focused on how hearing healthcare providers can use various demonstration techniques and tools in their clinical environment to demonstrate technology, features and value to their patients. Various Phonak demonstration tools built into Phonak Target software, as well as protocols developed with clinical experts, will be reviewed.

View this Course for FREE.
Need CEUs? Become a AudiologyOnline member to get unlimited CEUs.

Only $129/yr

Learn More

Phonak's Suite of eSolutions
Presented by Brandy Pouliot, AuD
Recorded Webinar
Phonak

Presenter

Brandy Pouliot, AuD
Course: #37386Level: Introductory1 Hour
  'Though I won't be using the pediatric apps much, I found the information interesting'   Read Reviews
Join us as we review Phonak's complete line of eSolutions including the myPhonak, myPhonak Junior, myRogerMic, and myRogerCoach apps.

View this Course for FREE.
Need CEUs? Become a AudiologyOnline member to get unlimited CEUs.

Only $129/yr

Learn More

Providing Some Direction – Beamformers Explained
Presented by David James Crowhen, BSc, MAud, PG Dip Bus Admin, MNZAS
Text/Transcript
Phonak

Presenter

David James Crowhen, BSc, MAud, PG Dip Bus Admin, MNZAS
Course: #34071Level: Introductory1 Hour
  'Good explanation of directional benefits'   Read Reviews
Directional microphone technology in hearing aids is a common method for improving hearing in noise in the near-field. This paper describes the various possible behaviors of directional microphone and how these provide benefit to the wearer, as well as some of the factors that can affect directional microphone performance and how these can be addressed.

View this Course for FREE.
Need CEUs? Become a AudiologyOnline member to get unlimited CEUs.

Only $129/yr

Learn More

Our site uses cookies to improve your experience. By using our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.