Search Results (4)

Hearing difficulty in noise can occur in 10–15% of listeners with typical hearing in the general population of the United States. Using one’s smartphone as a remote microphone (RM) system with the AirPods Pro (AP) may be considered an assistive device given its wide availability and potentially lower price. To evaluate this possibility, the accuracy of voice-to-text transcription for sentences presented in noise was compared, when KEMAR wore an AP receiver connected to an iPhone set to function as an RM system, to the accuracy obtained when it wore a sophisticated Phonak Roger RM system. A ten-sentence list was presented for six technology arrangements at three signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs; +5, 0, and −5 dB) in two types of noise (speech-shaped and babble noise). Each sentence was transcribed by Otter AI to obtain an overall percent accuracy for each condition. At the most challenging SNR (−5 dB SNR) across both noise types, the Roger system and smartphone/AP set to noise cancelation mode showed significantly higher accuracy relative to the condition when the smartphone/AP was in transparency mode. However, the major limitation of Bluetooth signal delay when using the AP/smartphone system would require further investigation in real-world settings with human users. Full article

Background: Transparency mode in hearables aims to maintain environmental awareness by transmitting external sounds through built-in microphones and speakers. While technical assessments have documented acoustic alterations in these devices, their impact on spatial hearing abilities under realistic listening conditions remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate how transparency mode affects sound localization performance with and without background noise. Methods: Ten normal-hearing adults completed sound localization tasks across azimuth (±90°) and elevation (±30°) with and without background noise. Performance was assessed with and without AirPods Pro in transparency mode. Sound localization performance was evaluated through linear regression analysis and mean absolute errors. Head-Related Transfer Function measurements quantified changes in binaural and spectral cues. Results: While interaural time differences were largely preserved, transparency mode introduced systematic alterations in level differences (up to 8 dB) and eliminated spectral cues above 5 kHz. These modifications resulted in increased localization errors, particularly for elevation perception and in noise. Mean absolute errors increased from 6.81° to 19.6° in azimuth and from 6.79° to 19.4° in elevation without background noise, with further degradation at lower SNRs (p < 0.05). Response times were affected by background noise (p < 0.001) but not by device use. Conclusions: Current transparency mode implementation significantly compromises spatial hearing abilities, particularly in noisy environments typical of everyday listening situations. These findings highlight the need for technological improvements in maintaining natural spatial cues through transparency mode, as current limitations may impact user safety and communication in real-world environments. Full article

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are at high cardiometabolic risk. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) strongly predicts atherosclerosis. Some studies suggest that probiotic intake may lower AIP. This study analysed the relationship between the frequency of dietary intake of low glycaemic index (prebiotic) and probiotic foods and atherosclerosis risk in women with PCOS. Methods: A total of 127 women were divided into two groups: AIP over 0.11 (highAIP) and AIP ≤ 0.11 (lowAIP). The KomPAN^® questionnaire was used to measure food frequency intake; pro-healthy, non-healthy, low glycaemic and probiotic dietary indexes were calculated based on daily food consumption. Body composition was measured by air displacement plethysmography (BodPod). AIP was calculated as a logarithm of triglycerides and high-density lipoproteins from plasma. Results: The highAIP group was 63% less likely to consume low glycaemic index foods three or more times a day than the lowAIP group. The HighAIP group was also 62% less likely to consume buckwheat, oats, whole-grain pasta or coarse-ground grains at least a few times a week. Pro-healthy foods tended to be less frequently consumed by the highAIP group, when adjusted for BMI and age. Conclusion: Women with PCOS at high risk of atherosclerosis consumed less low glycaemic index foods than women with a low risk of atherosclerosis. Intake of high-fibre, low glycaemic index foods could prevent atherosclerosis in women with PCOS; however, the effect of probiotic food intake remains unclear. Full article

Dental clinics are exposed to various uncomfortable noises. The aim of this study was to quantify the effectiveness of active noise control devices in dental treatment conditions. Two types of commercial headsets (Airpods Pro, QC30) and two types of dental headsets (Alltalk, Quieton Dental) were used for the experiment. Three sounds (high-speed handpiece, low-speed handpiece, and suction system) were measured at three different distances from the dental teeth model, typodont. The distances of 10, 40, and 70 cm reflected the positions of the patient, assistant, and practitioner’s ears, respectively. Sound analysis was performed, and the significance of differences in the maximum noise level using each device was determined with the Kruskal–Wallis test. Dental noise was characterized by the peak in sound pressure level (SPL) at 4–5 kHz and >15 kHz frequencies. The commercial headsets efficiently blocked 1 kHz and 10 kHz of noise. The dental headsets efficiently reduced 4–6 and >15 kHz noise. Quieton had the highest maximum SPL in all situations and positions among the four devices. For a better dental clinic, however, active noise control devices more suitable for the characteristics of dental noise should be developed. Full article