System and method for the objective measurement of hearing ability of an individual

A system for determining the hearing ability of an individual, said system comprising,

• an electrophysiological instrument, said instrument having means for generating a test stimulus signal and electrophysiological response means for establishing from said individual an evoked response,
• a hearing aid, said hearing aid having a calibrated input adapted for receiving said test stimulus signal, and a digital signal processor for processing and converting said test stimulus signal into an acoustic stimulus signal suitable for evoking in the individual an electrophysiological response,
• wherein said hearing aid is adapted for operating with a constant time delay between receiving the test stimulus signal and outputting the acoustic stimulus signal.

A method for carrying out electrophysiological measurement of the hearing ability of an individual, comprising the steps of generating a trigger pulse, generating in said hearing aid, in response to said trigger pulse, a test stimulus signal and converting the test stimulus signal into an acoustic stimulus signal, wherein the time delay between the trigger pulse and the acoustic stimulus signal is essentially constant, and measuring an electrophysiological response evoked in the individual by the acoustic stimulus signal.