Development of an intra-aural protective device for hearing-impaired individuals working in noisy environments

Authors

  • Solenn Ollivier Université du Québec, ÉTS
  • Hugues Nélisse Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail
  • Fabien Bonnet Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail
  • Rachel Bouserhal Université du Québec, ÉTS
  • Christian Giguère Université d'Ottawa
  • Jérémie Voix Université du Québec, ÉTS

Abstract

Occupational hearing loss among workers is increasingly prevalent. Hearing impairment has consequences in the workplace including reduced efficiency in performing tasks as well as safety concerns due to difficulties in perceiving and localizing sounds. While hearing aids can mitigate these consequences in many situations, products currently available are not able to distinguish sounds of interest in a noisy workplace and can therefore increase the risk of further hearing loss by amplifying already high-level sounds. Moreover, there is no existing reliable solution to evaluate the sound exposure level of those workers wearing hearing aids. Ideally, a hearing-impaired worker would have access to a device that can allow for both attenuation and amplification of sounds to communicate properly in noisy environments.  This project addresses the implementation of hearing aid algorithms into a device with two earplugs, each instrumented with a loudspeaker and two microphones, such that a final prototype has the benefits of both hearing aids and hearing protection devices. Intra-aural dosimetry is included for real-time monitoring of an individual’s noise exposure. The combination of those three features into one single intra-aural device would reduce the risk of further occupational hearing loss for hearing-impaired workers.

Additional Files

Published

2021-08-17

How to Cite

1.
Ollivier S, Nélisse H, Bonnet F, Bouserhal R, Giguère C, Voix J. Development of an intra-aural protective device for hearing-impaired individuals working in noisy environments. Canadian Acoustics [Internet]. 2021 Aug. 17 [cited 2024 Oct. 5];49(3):42-3. Available from: https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/3903

Issue

Section

Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada

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