A Comparison of a New Acoustic Feedback Canceller in Hearing Aids With the Current System

NCT ID: NCT04146272

Last Updated: 2021-09-13

Study Results

Results available

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

33 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-11-01

Study Completion Date

2019-07-07

Brief Summary

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The Purpose of the study is to show that the performance of the new feedback cancellation system is better than the feedback system used in the currently marketed hearing aids. Speech understanding should not be negatively affected by the new system, ad there should be no consequential artifacts or unwanted noises caused by the new system.

Detailed Description

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The amplification of sounds with a hearing aid is the most common treatment for hearing loss. Benefits of amplification and accessories used with it outweigh any risks in mild to profound hearing-impaired subjects. Hearing aids provide a benefit for people with only a mild sensorineural hearing loss. However, often people are counselled to wait to purchase hearing aids until their hearing loss becomes more significant. The benefits are obtainable for both unilateral and bilateral fittings and are both short term and durable on long term.

Acoustic feedback is a critical problem to all hearing aids. The acoustic coupling between the hearing aid receiver and the microphone occurs when an endless loop is formed so that the microphone is re-amplifying sound from its own receiver. The higher the amplification of the system, the more unstable it becomes and the more likely an acoustic feedback will occur. When this happens the hearing aid user and those around them hear a loud whistling noise. A common method used to combat this problem is feedback cancellation, more specifically adaptive feedback cancellation. The goal of feedback cancellation is to quickly identify feedback path changes and make adjustments to preserve the stability of the system while maintaining a high sound quality and still providing a high stable gain compared to the gain achieved without an active feedback reduction.

For this study, the Sponsor will carry out testing with participants who have hearing loss to validate the performance of the new feedback cancelling algorithm. Studies have investigated the advantages and disadvantages of different feedback cancellation techniques. However, it is accepted by professionals that having a feedback system is better than not using feedback cancellation. The Sponsor has used an adaptive feedback cancellation algorithm since 2010. For the current study the new adaptive algorithm will be compared to the current algorithm implemented in the hearing aids that are certified by the European Conformity and sold on the market. The aim is to determine if less feedback is experienced using the new system in comparison to the old system.

Conditions

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Hearing Loss

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

The participants will wear hearing aids with the current feedback system and the new feedback system each for 10 +/- 5 days. Some will wear the current hearing aids first and some will wear the new Hearing aids first.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants
The participants are masked during the lab testing. They will not know which device they are testing because the Investigator will place it on their ear without letting them see it.

Study Groups

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Moderate Hearing loss current Mermaid first, then new

Participants were randomized to wear the current Mermaid hearing aid that uses the current feedback cancellation first for 10 days. Then they wore the new Mermaid Hearing aid for another 10 days.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Hearing Aid Mermaid Current

Intervention Type DEVICE

The current hearing aid used to treat hearing loss.

Hearing Aid Mermaid New

Intervention Type DEVICE

The new hearing aid used to treat hearing loss with an upgraded feedback cancellation system.

Moderate Hearing loss new Mermaid first, then current

Participants were randomized to wear the new Mermaid hearing aid that uses the new feedback cancellation first for 10 days. Then they wore the current Mermaid Hearing aid for another 10 days.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Hearing Aid Mermaid Current

Intervention Type DEVICE

The current hearing aid used to treat hearing loss.

Hearing Aid Mermaid New

Intervention Type DEVICE

The new hearing aid used to treat hearing loss with an upgraded feedback cancellation system.

Severe hearing loss current Power first, then new

Participants were randomized to wear the current power hearing aid that uses the current feedback cancellation first for 10 days. Then they wore the new power Hearing aid for another 10 days.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Power Hearing Aid Current

Intervention Type DEVICE

The current power hearing aid used to treat strong hearing loss.

Power Hearing Aid New

Intervention Type DEVICE

The new power hearing aid used to treat strong hearing loss with an upgraded feedback cancellation system.

Severe hearing loss new Power first, then current

Participants were randomized to wear the new power hearing aid that uses the new feedback cancellation first for 10 days. Then they wore the current power Hearing aid for another 10 days.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Power Hearing Aid Current

Intervention Type DEVICE

The current power hearing aid used to treat strong hearing loss.

Power Hearing Aid New

Intervention Type DEVICE

The new power hearing aid used to treat strong hearing loss with an upgraded feedback cancellation system.

Interventions

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Hearing Aid Mermaid Current

The current hearing aid used to treat hearing loss.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Hearing Aid Mermaid New

The new hearing aid used to treat hearing loss with an upgraded feedback cancellation system.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Power Hearing Aid Current

The current power hearing aid used to treat strong hearing loss.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Power Hearing Aid New

The new power hearing aid used to treat strong hearing loss with an upgraded feedback cancellation system.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* All classifications of hearing loss (sensorineural, conductive, mixed)
* Conductive and mixed hearing loss must be approved for amplification by a physician
* All shapes of hearing loss (flat, sloping, reverse slope, notch)
* Severity ranging from mild to profound
* German speaking
* Ability and willingness to sign the consent form

Exclusion Criteria

* Contraindications for amplification
* Active ear disease
* New hearing aid users
* Inability to follow the procedures
* Reduced mobility that makes then unable to attend study Appointments
* Uncooperative so that it's not possible to get a valid audiogram
* A strongly reduced dexterity
* Central hearing disorder
* Sponsor employees
* Family members of Sponsor employees
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Bernafon AG

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Babara Simon, AuD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sponsor/Bernafon

Locations

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Bernafon

Bern, , Switzerland

Site Status

Countries

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Switzerland

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol

View Document

Document Type: Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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BF004-1901

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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