ANNALS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ORADEA

Fascicle of Management and Technological Engineering

ISSUE #1, May 2017, http://www.imtuoradea.ro/auo.fmte/

THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF

AN INTELLIGENT AUDIOMETER

Ana-Maria POPA1, Corneliu DRUGĂ2, Ionel ȘERBAN3

1
Transilvania University of Brașov,e-mail: popa.ana1925@gmail.com
2
Transilvania University of Brașov,e-mail: druga@unitbv.ro
3
Transilvania University of Brașov,e-mail: serban_ionel1984@yahoo.com

Abstract—The paper presents the design and

implementation of an intelligent audiometer, able to
communicate with a computer that will command and
control the entire investigation.
Unlike the classic audiometers, this smart audiometer
has the basic functions: the issuance of sounds at
different frequencies and intensities, receiving feedback
from the patient, sending data to the computer,
displaying information. As the novelty of this paper, I
will attached to this developed audiometer a software that
allows a device of voice recognition to copy full voice of
the user, vocal timbre and intonation, and then reproduce
them.
Audiometer’s computerization is achieved by using a
system with Arduino microcontroller type.
The paper aims to bring news concerning the
transmission of data between devices and patient
improvement and relief of hearing tests, minimizing the
number of false results, excluding operator errors.
Keywords—Acoustics, audiology, audiometer,
hearing, sound, ear.
I. INTRODUCTION
Sound wave is the propagation of mechanical
oscillations that actually are some vibration whose
frequency is between 20(Hz) and 20000(Hz), audible to
human healthy ear. The branch of physics that deals with
the study of sound waves is called acoustics. Acoustics
studies the production, propagation and reception of
sound waves (Fig.1) and the effects of this vibrations.
Hearing perception is the ability to perceive sound by
detecting vibration, by an organ such as the ear. In
humans, as well as other vertebrates, hearing is
performed primarily by the auditory system: mechanical
waves, also known as the ear vibrations are detected and
converted into nerve impulses that are perceived by the
brain.
Fig.1. The representation of a sound wave travel, Sound
wave [1]
Audiology is a branch of science that studies hearing,
balance, and related disorders. “Employing various
testing strategies, audiology aims to determine whether
someone can hear within the normal range, and if not,
which portions of hearing are affected, to what degree,
and where the lesion causing the hearing loss is found”,
Audiology [2].
Hearing test (audiometry) is a part of the examination
hearing aid, assessing the ability to hear sounds.
Audiometry basically measures the ability of sounds to
reach the auditory cortex. The operating principle of
audiometer consists in the issuance of sounds at different
frequencies and intensities. Each tone is set manually by
the audiologist for a specific frequency, then it is
transmitted several times, at different intensities, to the
patient. The patient responds to those stimuli by pressing
a button. From the patient feedback, the audiologist
makes a plot called audiogram, by M. Szasz [3].
Audiometers, as well as other medical or mechatronical
devices or are made up of mechanical and electrical
parts. Due to the sudden development of the IT industry,
the modern audiometers have computerized and
automatized parts.
The latest audiometers have already digital displays,
operating systems, included memories which allow the
display of audiogram, have the option of storing data etc.

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 ANNALS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ORADEA
Fascicle of Management and Technological Engineering
ISSUE #1, May 2017, http://www.imtuoradea.ro/auo.fmte/

Fig. 2. Modern audiometer

II. THE ANATOMY OF THE EAR

Fig. 4. Middle ear, Middle ear(website) [6]

The ear is the hearing and balance organ. The parts of

The oval window is a membrane covering the entrance to
the ear include: outer ear, middle ear and inner ear.
the cochlea in the inner ear. When the eardrum vibrates,
The external or outer ear contains the pinna or auricle,
the sound waves travel via the hammer and anvil to the
this is the outside part of the ear, and the external
stirrup and then onto the oval window. The round
auditory canal or tube, which is the tube that connects the
window in the middle ear vibrates in opposite phase to
outer ear to the inside or middle ear, The ear (website)
vibrations entering the inner ear through the oval
[4].
window. In doing so, it allows fluid in the cochlea to
move”, The ear (website) [4].
The inner ear includes: Cochlea (contains the nerves for
hearing), Vestibule (contains receptors for balance) and
Semicircular canals (contain receptors for balance).

Fig. 3. Outer ear, Outer ear(website) [5]

The eardrum, also called the tympanic membrane is a

thin, cone-shaped membrane that separates the external
ear from the middle ear.
“Middle ear (tympanic cavity) is consisted of: ossicles,
(three small bones that are connected and transmit the Fig. 5. Inner ear, Inner ear (website)[7]
sound waves to the inner ear. The bones are called:
hammer, anvil and stirrup) and the Eustachian tube, a
canal that links the middle ear with the back of the nose”.
“The Eustachian tube helps equalizing the pressure in the III. THE INTELLIGENT AUDIOMETER
middle ear. Equalized pressure is needed for the proper
transfer of sound waves. The Eustachian tube is lined This intelligent audiometer, which is a modern one, used
with mucous, just like the inside of the nose and throat. to detect hearing loss (audiometer), interacts with a
device. This new type of audiometer is connected to a
computer or smartphone, through which it is controlled.
This system created for audiometric testing is divided
into two main categories: the hardware subsystem and
software subsystem. The hardware subsystem requires
the presence of a development system with a Arduino
microcontroller type.
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 ANNALS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ORADEA
Fascicle of Management and Technological Engineering
ISSUE #1, May 2017, http://www.imtuoradea.ro/auo.fmte/

Development boards with microcontroller can provide

more features through which they can develop more
complex systems, accurate, dynamic, interactive and
useful. Also, using technology provided by developers
of microcontroller, we can automate things and
implement or design the system with various external
devices such as sensors, cameras or other registered
actuators. Using artificial intelligence provided by
microcontroller systems, we deal with programs and
applications that facilitate automated user's work.
With these development boards we have the opportunity
to design different systems and applications for
household or industrial.
The software subsystem involves executing operating
programs for both the microcontroller and the program. Tonal audiometry

Audiometer aim is to identify hearing loss of the patients.

The basic functionality is the generation of sounds of
different audiometers frequency and intensity. Each tone
is set manually by the audiologist for a certain frequency,
then passed several times at different intensities to the
patient (ISO standardized audiometric values are
averages of 250, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000 (Hz), and the
scale of intensity is between -10(dB) to 120(dB)).
Once the subject hears the auditory stimulus, by pressing
the button, he sends a signal back to the system.
Whether these impulses are summed system or are seen,
counted and recorded by the person executing the test,
Fig. 6. Arduino Uno they are used to create the audiogram.

The simplest and most common method of making Fig. 9. The results of an audiogram [8]
connection between a personal computer (desktop) and
external device is USB communication interface. The Vocal audiometry
connection between this audiometer and PC can be made
“This procedure tests the patient's ability to understand.
by USB, by Wireless and also by Bluetooth (Fig.7).
The subject is required to correctly repeat simple and

Fig. 7. a) Wireless Shield; b) Bluetooth Shield

This intelligent audiometer, by the voice recognition
system, enables both tonal and vocal testing.
Fig. 8. The block diagram of the audiometer
IV. AUDIOMETRY-RESULTS
common words, Audiogram(website) [9].
Speech audiometry has become a fundamental tool in
hearing-loss assessment. In conjunction with pure-tone
audiometry, it can aid in determining the degree and type
of hearing loss. Speech audiometry also provides
information regarding discomfort or tolerance to speech

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 ANNALS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ORADEA
Fascicle of Management and Technological Engineering
ISSUE #1, May 2017, http://www.imtuoradea.ro/auo.fmte/
stimuli and information on word recognition abilities”,
Vocal audiometry(website) [10].
Fig. 10. Audiogram
“The blue line represents the vocal audiogram of a
normal-hearing subject. The red line represents a subject
with a hearing loss: this only begin to understand from
65 (dB) (we use the intensity at which they get 50%
correct). Furthermore, the curve doesn't reach 100%
intelligibility, even when the sound intensity is increased.
This indicates large problems of comprehension”, Vocal
audiometry(website) [10].
V. CONCLUSIONS
This computerized audiometer keeps up with most
existing systems on the market. Compared to other
audiometers, this smart audiometer, due to its use of the
Arduino development board, has a lower cost and high
efficiency.
Since the system I designed is based on a microcontroller
development board, it can be attached to sensors or video
cameras to record the gestures, mimics and other
reactions of the people examined.
The basic functions of the system allow: to emit sounds
or words at different frequencies and intensities, receive
patient’s feedback, send data to the computer, display
information (on-screen display), perform automated tests,
or perform manual testing.
The comfort offered by wireless communication is an
indescribable advantage. It offers high mobility and if we
look at things from this point of view it’s a huge
advantage, especially in testing children, which is a very
delicate thing.
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Another important advantage is the adaptation of the
telemedicine requirements system. Once a wireless
communication has been made, a web page can be
designed. By accessing this page, we will have the
opportunity to command and control other systems of
this kind, even if it is thousands of kilometers away.
In conclusion, we can say that thanks to the
microcontroller technology we can design systems that
can be adaptable to any situation. Starting with some
simple sound and / or motion sensors, video cameras or
wireless communication, Bluetooth interfaces or other
elements, the system can be upgraded almost
indefinitely.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Practical realization of this project was made possible
thanks to funding received in a competition held in the
Transylvania University of Brașov as HCA
nr.20/01.03.2017 (Annex 3).
REFERENCES
[1] Sound wave,
https://scienceconceptions.wikispaces.com/Do+the+
Wave , April 21, 2017
[2] Audiology, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audiology,
April 21, 2017
[3] M. Szasz, “Computerized audiometer”, 2014
[4] The ear,
http://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id
=anatomy-and-physiology-of-the-ear-90-P02025,
April 29, 2017
[5] Outer ear,
https://www.google.ro/search?q=outer+ear&source=
lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjA-
Pv1u9bTAhURnRQKHdovAIEQ_AUICigB&biw=1
517&bih=735#imgrc=9dWxkbzQuOVBcM, April
29, 2017
[6] Middle ear, http://www.hear-it.org/The-middle-ear-
1, May 03, 2017
[7] Inner ear, http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ear-
infection/inner-ear-5305, May 03, 2017
[8] Loss hearing, http://www.ohniww.org/acoustic-
trauma-how-loud-noises-can-damage-hearing/, May
04, 2017
[9] Audiogram, http://www.cochlea.org/en/treatments,
May 05, 2017
[10] Vocal audiometry,
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1822315-
overview , May 06, 2017