Method and system for rapidly determining and displaying the depth of ear tip placement to improve the reliability of hearing tests

A method for assessing hearing, the method comprising:

• in a hearing assessment system comprising a control system, a display, and a probe with a sealing ear tip, a microphone, and a sound source:
• measuring a pressure versus frequency of an ear canal;
• determining a first half-wavelength frequency of the ear canal using the measured pressure versus frequency;
• calculating a first distance between the hearing probe and an eardrum in the ear canal based on the determined first half-wavelength frequency;
• and
• presenting, at the display, visual feedback for positioning the hearing probe, the visual feedback providing the calculated first distance between the hearing probe and the eardrum in the ear canal.

A system for assessing hearing, the system comprising:

• a hearing probe comprising a sealing ear tip, a microphone, and a sound source;
• a control system for controlling the hearing probe, said system being operable to:
• measure ear canal pressure versus frequency of an ear canal;
• calculate a reflectance from the measured ear canal pressure versus frequency;
• and
• calculate a first distance between the hearing probe and an eardrum in the ear canal based on a phase versus frequency extracted from the calculated reflectance;
• and
• a display configured to present visual feedback for positioning the hearing probe, the visual feedback providing the calculated first distance between the hearing probe and the eardrum in the ear canal.

A method for assessing hearing, the method comprising:

• in a hearing assessment system comprising a control system, a display, and a probe with a sealing ear tip, a microphone, and a sound source:
• measuring ear canal pressure versus frequency of an ear canal;
• calculating a reflectance from the measured ear canal pressure versus frequency;
• calculating a first distance between the hearing probe and an eardrum in the ear canal based on a phase versus frequency extracted from the calculated reflectance;
• and
• presenting, at the display, visual feedback for positioning the hearing probe, the visual feedback providing the calculated first distance between the hearing probe and the eardrum in the ear canal.