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Optimising hearing aid processing for music appreciation

Hearing aid manufacturers’ main focus has, up until recently, been improvement of speech intelligibility. Today’s hearing aid users have much broader demands however and often cite improved music perception as a key outcome or goal. Drs Tish Ramirez and Rebecca...

Screening for hearing loss in primary care

Hearing impairment is one physical disability that is increasing in prevalence in society in general, and in older adults in particular. Approximately 34 to 36 million Americans report suffering from some degree of hearing impairment with the number rising to...

The role of metrics in studies of hearing and cognition

Introduction When perceiving sounds in real-world listening environments, older adults encounter several sources of degradation that can interfere with the perceptual process (Figure 1). Target signals (i.e. the sounds that a listener wants to focus on) have specific acoustic characteristics...

Can the audiology clinic benefit from advances in virtual reality?

François Patou discusses how the recent advances in virtual reality technologies can be used to support people living with hearing loss. He outlines some of the novel virtual reality tools that are emerging as resources to support delivery of audiology...

Using the Ling-Madell-Hewitt (LMH) Test Battery

Why change a classic? Because of new knowledge and improved technology, of course! Drs Hewitt and Madell present an update to Daniel Ling’s classic speech test. One of Daniel Ling’s legacies is the Ling Six Sound Test which presents six...

Optimising hearing aid solutions for tinnitus sufferers: essential factors to consider

A tailored approach combining counselling, sensory management and perceptual training can improve the effectiveness of hearing aids in managing tinnitus for individual patients. Hearing aids are useful tinnitus therapy tools, according to tinnitus management guidelines. However, there are few published...

The astronomer’s nose: Tycho Brahe’s controversial prosthesis

Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) is a familiar and colourful figure in the history of science. The immense quantity of data he collected during his lifetime would enable the work of Johannes Kepler and has gained him admission to the astronomical pantheon....

The Surgical Skills Centre in BACO 2018: pride of place

Simulation in medical training is gaining prominence with every passing year, and BACO will have a large space showcasing this area. We hear from the organisers. In recognition of the developing importance of simulation in surgical training, BACO 2018 has...

GIRFT: improving ENT care through standardised clinical pathways

Clinical pathways can help to ensure consistency of approach and efficient use of resources. We hear about new developments in the UK. Variation in ENT care In today’s data-driven healthcare landscape, significant variation persists in the provision of ENT services...