Phonak’s adaptive Dynamic FM systems improve the speech in noise performance of hearing instrument users by up to 50 percentage points more than traditional fixed FM systems, according to the findings of a new study by Dr. Linda Thibodeau of the University of Dallas and the Callier Center for Communication Disorders.
Thibodeau’s study, entitled Benefits of Adaptive FM Systems on Speech Recognition in Noise for Listeners Who Use Hearing Aids, was published in the June 2010 edition of the American Journal of Audiology. It is the first study to compare Phonak’s ‘Adaptive FM Advantage’ (AFMA) processing technology, the key technological component of Phonak’s Dynamic FM platform, to fixed advantage FM systems for hearing instrument wearers.
“AFMA processing resulted in significant improvements at the higher noise levels for the majority of the participants … ” explains Linda Thibodeau. “The participants were enthusiastic about the new processing both in clinical and real-world settings … On the basis of these findings, it is likely that the AFMA processing would provide significant benefits over fixed FM advantage processing in environments where the noise exceeds 57 dB SPL … .”
Thibodeau tested five adults and five students with moderate-to-severe hearing loss. Participants completed objective and subjective speech recognition in noise measures in competing noise levels ranging from 54- to 80 dBA, using two specific types of FM processing technology: Phonak’s AFMA and fixed FM advantage.
The objective section of Thibodeau’s study recorded AFMA improvements in speech recognition of up to 50 percentage points, while in Thibodeau’s subjective tests participants strongly favored AFMA over fixed FM in the vast majority of situations.
Standout results from the study include:
- 100% of participants (10 out of 10 hearing instrument users) chose AFMA over fixed FM as their processing technology of choice in all subjective classroom activities.
- 100% of recipients also preferred AFMA at two of the six 70-90 dBA aquarium test stations, while 80-90% of participants preferred AFMA at the remaining four stations.
- In the objective ‘first word correct’ test, at a high noise level of 73 dBA, participants managed a mean percentage score of 60% using AFMA compared to just 10% for fixed FM; an improvement of 50 percentage points.
“The ability to catch the words spoken in situations like noisy classrooms and busy public places often means the difference between someone with a hearing loss following a conversation and being completely lost,” says Valentin Chapero, CEO of Phonak. “Linda Thibodeau’s study results prove that for people with a moderate-to-severe loss, Phonak’s Dynamic FM technology is the most effective choice for improving understanding in these challenging listening situations.”
Source: Phonak: July, 2010
