System and method for remotely administered, interactive hearing tests

A method for conducting a hearing test using a computer program, comprising:

• establishing a communication channel between a remote device and a server in a communication network;
• executing a first component of the computer program at the server, and
• executing a second component of the computer program at the remote device, wherein the computer program comprises a routine that manages interaction via an interface on the remote device, and adaptively selects stimuli based upon said interaction to be produced at the remote device for said interaction according to a convergent process to determine a hearing characteristic,
• wherein said routine includes causing a visual effect at the device corresponding to each of N alternative stimulus intervals, causing generation of a selected stimulus during one of the N alternative stimulus intervals, and promoting a subject to make a choice by selecting a visual effect indicating the subject's perception of the stimulus during said N alternative stimulus intervals, and said convergent process comprises selecting a first stimulus and producing a subsequent stimulus that is reduced in magnitude by a step amount if the choice in the interaction identifies a correct interval a number X times, or producing a subsequent stimulus that is increased in magnitude by a step amount if the choice in the interaction identifies an incorrect interval a number Y times, and wherein at least one of X and Y is greater than 1 during at least a part of the convergent process, wherein the number X equals 3, and the number Y equals 1.

A method for conducting a hearing test using a computer program, comprising:

• establishing a communication channel between a remote device and a server in a communication network;
• executing a first component of the computer program at the server;
• and
• executing a second component of the computer program at the remote device, wherein the computer program comprises a routine that manages interaction via an interface on the remote device, and adaptively selects stimuli based upon said interaction to be produced at the remote device for said interaction according to a convergent process to determine a hearing characteristic,
• wherein said routine includes causing a visual effect at the device corresponding to each of N alternative stimulus intervals, causing generation of a selected stimulus during one of the N alternative stimulus intervals, and promoting a subject to make a choice by selecting a visual effect indicating the subject's perception of the stimulus during said N alternative stimulus intervals, and said convergent process comprises selecting a first stimulus and producing a subsequent stimulus that is reduced in magnitude by a step amount if the choice in the interaction identifies a correct interval a number X times, or producing a subsequent stimulus that is increased in magnitude by a step amount if the choice in the interaction identifies an incorrect interval a number Y times, and wherein at least one of X and Y is greater than 1 during at least a part of the convergent process, wherein N equals 2, and the number X equals 3, and the number Y equals 1.

An apparatus comprising:

• a data processor which executes instructions;
• a communication interface coupled to the data processor;
• and
• memory coupled to the data processor which stores instructions in a form readable by the data processor, the instructions specifying processes which establish a communication channel with a remote device via the communication interface and manage presentation of an interaction with a test subject via an interface on the remote device, and adaptively select stimuli based upon said interaction to be produced at the remote device for said interaction according to a convergent process to determine a hearing characteristic, wherein said convergent process comprises a maximum likelihood procedure, and
• wherein said processes which manage presentation of said interaction include:
• causing a visual effect at the device corresponding to each of N alternative stimulus intervals, causing generation of a selected stimulus during one of the N alternative stimulus intervals, and prompting the test subject to make a choice by selecting a visual effect indicating perception of the stimulus during said N alternative stimulus intervals;
• and
• said convergent process comprises selecting a first stimulus in response to a base line threshold, producing a subsequent stimulus that is reduced in magnitude by a step amount if the choice in the interaction identifies a correct interval a number X times, or producing a subsequent stimulus that is increased in magnitude by a step amount if the choice in the interaction identifies an incorrect interval a number Y times, where at least one of X and Y is greater than 1 during at least a part of the convergent process.

An apparatus comprising:

• a data processor which executes instructions;
• a communication interface coupled to the data processor;
• and
• memory coupled to the data processor which stores instructions in a form readable by the data processor, the instructions specifying processes which establish a communication channel with a remote device via the communication interface and manage presentation of an interaction with a test subject via an interface on the remote device, and adaptively select stimuli based upon said interaction to be produced at the remote device for said interaction according to a convergent process to determine a hearing characteristic, wherein said convergent process comprises a maximum likelihood procedure, and
• wherein said processes which manage presentation of said interaction include:
• causing a visual effect at the device corresponding to each of N alternative stimulus intervals, causing generation of a selected stimulus during one of the N alternative stimulus intervals, and prompting the subject to make a choice by selecting a visual effect indicating perception of the stimulus during said N alternative stimulus intervals;
• and
• said convergent process comprises selecting a first stimulus in response to a base line threshold, producing a subsequent stimulus that is reduced in magnitude by a step amount if the choice in the interaction identifies a correct interval a number X times, or producing a subsequent stimulus that is increased in magnitude by a step amount if the choice in the interaction identifies an incorrect interval a number Y times, where at least one of X and Y is greater than 1 during at least a part of the convergent process, wherein the number X equals 3, and the number Y equals 1.

An apparatus comprising:

• a data processor which executes instructions;
• a communication interface coupled to the data processor;
• and
• memory coupled to the data processor which stores instructions in a form readable by the data processor, the instructions specifying processes which establish a communication channel with a remote device via the communication interface and manage presentation of an interaction with a test subject via an interface on the remote device, and adaptively select stimuli based upon said interaction to be produced at the remote device for said interaction according to a convergent process to determine a hearing characteristic, wherein said convergent process comprises a maximum likelihood procedure, and
• wherein said processes which manage presentation of said interaction include:
• causing a visual effect at the device corresponding to each of N alternative stimulus intervals, causing generation of a selected stimulus during one of the N alternative stimulus intervals, and prompting the subject to make a choice by selecting a visual effect indicating perception of the stimulus during said N alternative stimulus intervals;
• and
• said convergent process comprises selecting a first stimulus in response to a base line threshold, producing a subsequent stimulus that is reduced in magnitude by a step amount if the choice in the interaction identifies a correct interval a number X times, or producing a subsequent stimulus that is increased in magnitude by a step amount if the choice in the interaction identifies an incorrect interval a number Y times, where at least one of X and Y is greater than 1 during at least a part of the convergent process, wherein N equals 2, and the number X equals 3, and the number Y equals 1.

A method for remotely testing hearing using a consumer electronics device having a communication interface, an audio stimulus generator and an input, comprising:

• remotely establishing a base line threshold for a control signal supplied via the communication interface causing the device to generate a sound;
• remotely managing an N-alternative forced choice stimulus and response interaction to a subject;
• and
• adaptively producing signals to induce selected stimuli at the device for said interaction according to a convergent, maximum likelihood process based upon said base line threshold and said interaction to determine a hearing characteristic.