A test suite for hearing aid evaluation

Abstract

A test suite has been developed for evaluating hearing aids. The tests in the suite are frequency response, number of processing bands and type of processing, input/output characteristics, processing attack and release times, and broadband distortion. The test suite produces a more complete evaluation of a hearing aid than any previous set of tests, and is suitable for the automatic evaluation of a hearing aid containing unknown processing. The test procedures are described, and sample test results are presented for simulated linear and two-channel compression hearing aids.