The principal investigator proposes to study the manufacturing feasibility, comfort and acoustic characteristics of a new method of hearing aid encasement. This method involves the embedding of electronic components of the hearing aid in a soft-solid medium that is expected to improve comfort and acoustic properties of these devices, and will accommodate changes in canal shape due to jaw and head movements. This Phase I project is divided into 3 parts: In project 1, hearing aids embedded in soft-solid materials will be compared with those encased in hard-hollow shells for their acoustic performance and patient satisfaction; in project 2, the manufacturing benefits of soft-solid hearing aids will be compared to those of hard-hollow devices; project 3 will assess the feasibility of using an artificial ear in the future evaluation of the acoustic properties of soft-solid instrument hearing aids.
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