Editing Hearing test (section)

== In-situ audiometry using mobile applications ==
The availability of stereo headphones and [[smartphone]]s or [[Tablet computer|tablets]] equipped with sound reproduction systems led to the appearance of new audiologic diagnostic methods which help people identify their degree of [[hearing loss]] without assistance. For users of these [[mobile devices]], there are a number of applications available with a function for [[Audiometry|audiometric hearing testing]]. There are also hearing aid applications with a built-in hearing test for making hearing aid adjustments.

In the process of hearing test with specialized applications, initial [[hearing threshold]]s of perception of tone signals on different frequencies ([[audiogram]]) are identified.

[[Hearing threshold]]s, like with traditional [[audiometry]], and with a special application, are determined on a standard set of frequencies from 125 Hz to 8 kHz. Also, an application can be integrated with a function for testing {{Clarify | text = the relevance of perception of separate sounds and figures of intelligibility| date = January 2025 | reason = Unintelligible.}} in various acoustic conditions.

Technically, the hearing test application consists of the following blocks:
* program module-generator of tone signals of the required frequency;
* graphic interface options (for fixing the user's reaction to exceeding tone perception threshold);
* interpreter of test results (text and graphics);
* database with the results of previous examinations and age-normalized hearing parameters

Hearing test results obtained through the application will be in error as compared to the results of hearing test conducted by an audiologist because of the following reasons:
* the use of specialized calibrated equipment;
* sound-proofing of the room where hearing test is held;
* heterogeneity of parameters of sound-recording systems in smartphones and tablets, and also headphones or headsets;
* noise masking effect of tone signals<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Kiessling|first1=Jürgen|last2=Leifholz|first2=Melanie|last3=Unkel|first3=Steffen|last4=Pons-Kühnemann|first4=Jörn|last5=Jespersen|first5=Charlotte Thunberg|last6=Pedersen|first6=Jenny Nesgaard|date=2015|title=A comparison of conventional and in-situ audiometry on participants with varying levels of sensorineural hearing loss|journal=Journal of the American Academy of Audiology|volume=26|issue=1|pages=68–79|doi=10.3766/jaaa.26.1.8|issn=2157-3107|pmid=25597462}}</ref>

Despite possible errors in the results of diagnostics, the undoubted advantages of hearing testing with a special application or hearing aid application include the ability to do the hearing test without assistance and the availability of hearing testing.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.hearingreview.com/2012/11/in-situ-thresholds-for-hearing-aid-fittings-november-2012-hr/|title=In-situ Thresholds for Hearing Aid Fittings|website=Hearing Review|date=November 2012 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-26}}</ref>

Scientists suggest that the hearing test using a mobile application can be used to identify hearing pathologies and also for hearing screening tests.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=van Tonder |first1=Jessica |last2=Swanepoel |first2=De Wet |author-link2=De Wet Swanepoel |last3=Mahomed-Asmail |first3=Faheema |last4=Myburgh |first4=Hermanus |last5=Eikelboom |first5=Robert H. |date=2017 |title=Automated Smartphone Threshold Audiometry: Validity and Time Efficiency |journal=Journal of the American Academy of Audiology |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=200–208 |doi=10.3766/jaaa.16002 |issn=2157-3107 |pmid=28277211 |hdl-access=free |hdl=2263/60435|s2cid=3795810 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bright|first1=Tess|last2=Pallawela|first2=Danuk|date=2016-12-23|title=Validated Smartphone-Based Apps for Ear and Hearing Assessments: A Review|journal=JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies|volume=3|issue=2|pages=e13|doi=10.2196/rehab.6074|issn=2369-2529|pmc=5454564|pmid=28582261 |doi-access=free }}</ref>