A detailed guide to using your IHearYou software

Transcription

H
A detailed guide to using
your IHearYou ® software
®
Contents
IHearYou® allows you to set
things up to your preferences,
so feel free to use it as soon as
you wish. If you prefer to take it
slowly, then owning IHearYou®
is a great way to future-proof
your hearing aids, should your
hearing or preferences change.
IHearYou® gives you the
capability to tune your hearing
aid, making it sound exactly the
way you want in every situation.
1.0 Getting Connected
How to install IHearYou® DIY software before first connection
Connect hearing aids to your computer
6
10
2.0 Adjusting the programming
Prof Peter Blamey
and Dr Elaine Saunders
Almost all of our clients are
completely satisfied after
they have completed the
basic equaliser and volume
adjustment steps. A few require
further fine tuning. You can easily
perform these steps yourself,
should you need to.
IHearYou® software
12
Balancing loudness
14
Adjusting volume
17
Try it out
19
Undoing changes
20
3.0 Fine Tuning
When to use fine tuning
22
Problem solver
22
Special programs
28
Advanced fine tuning
32
4.0 If your hearing levels change
36
5.0 Getting help 38
IHearYou® is a registered trademark of Blamey & Saunders Hearing Pty Ltd.
1.0 Getting Connected
HOW TO INSTALL IHEARYOU® DIY SOFTWARE
BEFORE FIRST CONNECTION
Install software before connecting programmer.
If you see the message below (Figure 1.2), it means:
• You have typed the address into a search box (e.g. Google),
not into the address box.
• Or you have misspelled the address.
Figure 1.2
To install IHearYou® from our website, type this URL into Internet
Explorer and click the install button:
www.blameysaunders.com.au/ihearyou/download
If you have a DVD or USB stick, run the file “setup.exe” straight from
the disc. This will install IHearYou®, and you may go straight to the
next section. We can mail discs upon request.
If you are using Internet Explorer, you will be able to choose run:
Figure 1.3
If you are online, it is generally better to use the download link rather
than using a disc. The web is up-to-date with the latest version.
Both versions will routinely update themselves from the internet
anyway, but with the download you are sure to have the very latest
version from day one.
Figure 1.1
You must enter the address into the URL box as above (Figure 1.1).
6
Section 1.0 Getting Connected
If there is no “Run” option, you may need to choose save, and then
run the setup file yourself.
This icon may be saved to the desktop if you save
the online installer.
7
HOW TO INSTALL IHEARYOU® DIY SOFTWARE
BEFORE FIRST CONNECTION continued
You may be asked to authorise the installation of prerequisites
libraries and programmer drivers. These are technologies necessary
to allow IHearYou® to work properly and to communicate with your
hearing aids.
Please allow these to install (Figure 1.4). Some processes may pause
for a while - this is normal.
Figure 1.4
This is the icon for IHearYou®. In future you can run
IHearYou® by double-clicking on this icon on your
computer desktop.
After installation, connect the programmer box to the USB port
on your computer. On some machines, it may take a moment for
Windows to recognise the programmer box for the first time.
This sometimes occurs with Windows 7, and affects many devices
including webcams, card readers and other plug in items.
After a few minutes the green circle in the system tray will stop
moving (lower-right of screen) and indicate everything is ready.
Once installation is complete, IHearYou® will launch automatically
after a few moments. Please be patient if it seems like nothing is
happening for a moment.
8
9
Connect hearing aids to your computer
When the previous step has finished, you may connect the
programmer box to the computer with the USB cable (if you have not
already done so).
A demonstration video showing how to attach your hearing aid
is available on our website.
1 Open the battery door slightly to create a space in the hinge.
2 Gently insert ribbon connector into the slot created in the hinge.
The gold side of the ribbon faces up (remember – gold always
goes up), the dark side faces down.
3 Close the battery door until it clicks securely, in order to secure the
cable into place.
Figure 1.5
Now attach your hearing aid(s) to the programmer box (Figure 1.5).
To attach the hearing aids to the programmer box, note the
colour conventions:
1A
2A
3A
1B
2B
3B
1C
2C
3C
RED is for the Right hearing aid,
BLUE is for the Left hearing aid.
• Batteries: You can connect the ribbon cable with or without
batteries in the hearing aid. The programmer box supplies
power to the hearing aids.
• When connected, the hearing aids will turn on and you can
hear sound from them.
• The blue and red lights on the box only flash while data is
transferring, not when idle.
1. Gold side up
2. Insert cable into open
battery door hinge
3. Close battery door
Inserting the cable: the hinge insertion location differs depending on
your model of hearing aid.
10 Section 1.0 Getting Connected
11
2.0 Adjusting the programming
IHEARYOU® SOFTWARE
If the hearing aids are not connected, IHearYou® will show a diagram
and offer a video clip to guide you through the connection process,
and a big green “connect” button will be visible.
Figure 2.1
Navigation frame
(list of settings)
Main view
(make adjustments)
When IHearYou® starts and the hearing aid(s) are connected,
the screen should look like (Figure 2.1). Take a moment to familiarise
yourself with this diagram.
Navigation frame
The navigation frame allows you to navigate to the item you wish
to adjust, such as volume. Some items have a play button.
All items have a save button
to save changes.
Main view frame
The main view frame displays the selected item. In this picture,
it is a row of sliders. This is where you make adjustments.
Uh-oh button
The “uh-oh” button (lower-left) is in case things go wrong and you
wish to undo all your changes.
Uh-oh button
Left hearing aid
on/off
Right hearing aid
on/off
Hearing aid buttons
Hearing aid buttons (lower right) turn the instruments mute or active
for listening.
Most items display helpful tips if you hover the
mouse over them.
12 Section 2.0 Adjusting the programming
Section 2.0 Adjusting the programming 13
BALANCING LOUDNESS
The first step is to balance loudness with the IHearYou® loudness
equaliser. The aim is to make the different chimes sound equal in
loudness in each ear separately.
Ensure you are wearing your hearing aid(s).
To begin, press play once (Figure 2.2) to listen to the series of chimes:
Figure 2.2
Press play again (Figure 2.2). Continue adjusting until the chimes
sound equally loud and comfortable overall.
Some tips for balancing loudness:
• Does any chime sound uncomfortable or stand out from
the rest? If so, turn it down.
• Does any chime sound much softer than the rest? If so,
turn it up.
• The sliders need not be level in height. Try to focus on loudness
(you can close your eyes).
• If the task gets difficult, you probably already have the levels
fairly balanced.
When you have finished, press the save button (Figure 2.4) in order
to update the hearing aid. It takes a moment to communicate with
the hearing aid(s).
Figure 2.4
Then adjust the sliders (Figure 2.3) to make the chimes sound equal
in loudness and comfortable overall. As you will see, each slider
corresponds to a different sound.
Figure 2.3
BALANCING LOUDNESS continued
Adjusting Volume
After you have saved these comfortable and balanced levels,
a tick will appear next to the item (Figure 2.5).
The second (and final) task is to adjust the volume.
Figure 2.5
Volume is a personal preference. You may return to this anytime,
as often as you wish.
Click on the volume item (Figure 2.7):
Figure 2.7
If you have two hearing aids, you should repeat this for the other ear
(Figure 2.6):
Figure 2.6
After a moment, you may notice your hearing aids turning on.
• The light on the programmer box on your desk may blink.
• The instrument you are wearing will sound “on”.
• The hearing aid buttons will light up (Figure 2.8):
Figure 2.8
The loudness equaliser is used to balance your “equal-comfort”
levels. This is a characteristic of your own hearing.
Unlike other settings, it is typically only measured once, unless
you feel your hearing has changed over time.
You can turn the hearing aids on and off by clicking on their
respective buttons. Try this now for fun.
Adjusting Volume continued
TRY IT OUT
You can adjust the volume with the up/down arrows (Figure 2.9).
Each click corresponds to a 2 decibel change.
You have successfully adjusted the programming on your hearing
aids and that is all for the first fitting. We recommend that you
venture outside to put them to the test and start accustoming yourself
to a world of clear, natural and exciting sounds.
Figure 2.9
• Close IHearYou®.
• Disconnect the hearing instruments from the computer.
• Insert batteries and try them out.
• If your hearing aid has a manual volume control, you may use
it to boost or attenuate the loudness as needed. This will act in
tandem with the automatic volume control in your hearing aids.
What to expect:
While you are adjusting the volume, listen to your own voice and any
other sounds on hand. When you are satisfied, press the save button
(Figure 2.10) to update the hearing aids:
Figure 2.10
• Allow about 30 minutes to adjust to a new volume and
sound quality.
• Ordinary noises that you may not have heard for a while will
be quite noticeable:
-Birds
-Water
-Your footsteps
-Clothes rustling and keys jingling
-A generally noisy world.
UNDOING CHANGES
Changes saved to the hearing aids can be un-done at any time,
in a number of ways.
The first option (Figure 2.13) restores the hearing aid to its initial
settings as it arrived in the post.
Figure 2.13
Option A: Reverting to earlier settings
You can undo any saved changes along the way, by clicking on the
‘Restore Past Fitting’ menu item (Figure 2.11):
Figure 2.11
Option B: Undoing all changes
There is a button in the lower-left corner of IHearYou®, called the
“uh-oh” button (Figure 2.12). This can be used to return the hearing
aids to the state in which it first arrived in the post.
Figure 2.12
3.0 Fine Tuning
WHEN TO USE FINE TUNING
The other items in IHearYou® are optional fine tuning modules.
You might consider making these fine tuning changes if you have set
up your hearing aids with loudness equalisation and volume, tried
them out, and you have any of the following requests:
• A particular sound was not right:
–Your own voice
–Environmental sounds
–Whistling (feedback) during ordinary use.
• A particular situation was unsatisfactory:
–Music
–Windy weather
–Noisy places.
When not to use it
Do not use the problem solver if you are generally satisfied with your hearing aid(s) in most situations, but wish to change your settings for different situations (such as noisy places). This is what Special Programs are for.
Do not use the problem solver if you have not yet balanced loudness and set the volume.
How to use it
Select the problem solver control by clicking on Problem Solver
(Figure 3.1).
Figure 3.1
Problem solver
What it does
The problem solver offers fast and simple automatic adjustments to
your hearing aid for the most common requests. It is based upon the
experience of our hearing aid clinic.
The hearing aids will automatically turn on (active) if they were not
already live (Figure 3.2):
When to use it
Figure 3.2
If you have performed the basic loudness equalisation and
volume set up steps.
And if you have tried the hearing aid(s) for a period of
acclimatisation.
And if your hearing aid is not yet comfortable in everyday situations.
22 Section 3.0 Fine Tuning
Section 3.0 Fine Tuning 23
Problem solver continued
The problem solver screen looks like this (Figure 3.3):
Figure 3.3
Steps for use
1 Begin by selecting an information link for guidance.
2 To proceed with a solution, click the corresponding button.
– The hearing aids are automatically adjusted while you listen.
3 Listen to the new settings live.
4 You can click the blue undo/redo arrows to compare sound quality
before and after.
– For example, if sharp sounds such as dish clatter are too loud,
you can tap a spoon in an empty glass while you are performing
this tune up. Remember that some sounds are simply loud for
everyone.
5 Press save when you are done (Figure 3.5).
Figure 3.5
Each of the four solutions has a link to offer guidance, a button
to execute the automatic adjustment, and undo/redo arrows to
compare sound before and after (Figure 3.4).
6 Then disconnect and allow yourself time to relax into your new
settings. It is important to perform fine-tuning sparingly and
slowly, to avoid over-correction and getting muddled.
Figure 3.4
PROBLEM SOLVER continued
Whistling or feedback
• The largest maximum gains are reduced.
• Feedback canceller is also checked to ensure it is always on.
• All other settings remain unchanged to avoid compromising
sound quality.
Own voice hollow
• All ADRO® parameters below 1000 Hz (Maximum Gains, Comfort
Targets, Maximum Output Limits) are reduced.
sound quality.
Sharp sounds too loud
• Maximum output limits below 1500 Hz reduced by a small amount,
and maximum output limits at and above 1500 Hz reduced by
a larger amount.
• Gap between Maximum Output Limits and Comfort Targets is
maintained.
sound quality.
For special environments such as background noise (rather than
every-day listening), see Special Programs.
Soft sounds too loud
• Maximum gains at and below 2000 Hz are reduced a small
amount, and maximum gains above 2000 Hz are reduced
a larger amount.
• ADRO® gains adapt up and down. Maximum gains are the upper
limit when sound is very soft, and so correspond mostly to the
amplification of soft sounds.
sound quality.
Special Programs
What is a special program?
If you are having difficulty tuning the everyday program for every
situation, one or more special purpose programs may be useful.
In many ways, they are like presets on a stereo system.
How to use it
Select Special Programs (Figure 3.6):
Figure 3.6
When to use it
We find that most users of our hearing aids don’t require special
programs. The reason is that our instruments employ a technique
known as Adaptive Dynamic Range Optimisation (ADRO®), which
continuously monitors the auditory environment and adjusts its own
settings to maintain clear and comfortable sound.
New programs are always derived from your everyday settings.
Nonetheless, some users have special needs or preferences.
Examples are:
Figure 3.7
Choose a program from the list (Figure 3.7), by clicking on the
drop-down arrow:
• Users with a fluctuating hearing loss.
• Users with a particular situation that just doesn’t seem quite right:
–Rock concerts
–Cycling in strong wind
–Telecoil program (some models).
• Avid listeners, who love to tinker with custom settings, but wish
to maintain their everyday program.
ADRO® is a registered trademark of Wolfson Dynamic Hearing Pty Ltd.
Special Programs continued
If you point to each of the programs (without clicking), a tip will
pop-up explaining that program.
When you have chosen a special program, the corresponding button
will light up, indicating the program is now live.
To adjust different programs you can
change the active program with this
“listen” button.
Any changes (e.g. volume) from now on will apply only to the live
program. This is indicated below the hearing aid buttons (Figure 3.8):
New programs are always created and selected in both hearing
aids at the same time (automatically).
The “custom” program is initially no different to the everyday
program. It exists as a starting point for experimentation and
unorthodox settings. For example, some clients wish to have
a “loud” program for attending sports. In this case, a custom
program could be chosen, selected as live, and then given a
volume boost.
A person with a fluctuating hearing loss may set up several custom
programs for use on different days, for example on a good
hearing day, a bad hearing day, and an average hearing day.
Lastly, choose save to update the hearing aids (Figure 3.9):
Figure 3.8
Figure 3.9
ADVANCED FINE TUNING
What it does
Advanced fine tuning allows you complete control over the levels
in your hearing aids.
When to use it
Advanced fine tuning really is advanced. It would typically be used
in the following situations:
• By a clinician or an audiologist.
• By yourself, under the guidance of Blamey Saunders hears or
another expert.
How to use it
Select Advanced Fine Tuning (Figure 3.10):
Figure 3.10
Important Concept
The A in ADRO® stands for adaptive. This means that the gains in
the hearing aid are not fixed, but are automatically moving up and
down all the time to maintain comfortable loudness. If the hearing
aid output is too soft (e.g. if the room goes quiet), the gains will go up
until your comfort targets are reached. Conversely if the hearing aid
output is too loud (e.g. if you enter a loud environment), the gains go
down until the output reaches your comfort targets.
Adjustable parameters
Maximum Output Levels in red (dB SPL) are the upper limits for
protection. These limits are applied instantly within each frequency
band and are never exceeded by sudden loud sounds. The gap
between these levels and the Comfort Targets should be maintained
(usually about 10 decibels).
Your hearing aid automatically adjusts the frequency-band gains
such that the output remains below the Comfort Targets in green
(dB SPL) 90% of the time. Mostly, these comfort target levels
correspond to the loudness of sustained everyday sounds.
The gap between these levels and the maximum outputs should
be maintained (usually about 10 decibels).
Maximum Gains in blue (decibels, plotted using the same axis) are
used to limit the amplification of background noise. Mostly these
gains correspond to amplification of soft sounds. Remember, when
you are listening in soft environments, the gains will go up. That is,
until these limits are reached.
ADVANCED FINE TUNING continued
The targets and limits can be adjusted as follows
Multiple frequency bands can be adjusted together. To do so,
right-click on each of the arrows you wish to group; these will be
highlighted and will then move together when left-clicked.
There are “all” and “none” shortcut buttons too.
By default, hearing aids are on (active) when fine tuning is selected.
This way, the listener can hear changes live, as they are made.
Older computers, however, may respond faster with the hearing aids
off. If you find the graphics sluggish, simply click on the hearing aid
buttons to switch them off while you change the levels.
Save when you are done (Figure 3.12):
Figure 3.12
A typical fine tuning screen looks like this (Figure 3.11). We
recommend only making fine changes here and using the other
modules for bigger changes.
Figure 3.11
4.0 If your hearing levels change
1. Then you should re-balance your sliders
2. You should not change the audiogram data
What is an audiogram?
Balancing the sliders for equal loudness is used because these
are the levels that the hearing aid operates at during day-to-day
listening. This is why you can jump straight into the sliders and arrive
at a comfortable output quickly and easily.
An audiogram is a chart showing measurements of a person’s
hearing levels for very soft sounds compared to a standard defined
for a normal hearing young person.
We enter audiograms by enabling “clinic mode” in the clinic menu as
a diagnostic record in our hearing aids. This reflects the value of the
audiogram as a diagnostic tool for the clinician.
IHearYou® can use an audiogram to set the initial position of the
loudness equaliser sliders. Once you have made a modification to
these settings based on your comfort levels, then the audiogram
becomes a diagnostic label and has no further impact on the hearing
aid performance.
When to use audiograms with IHearYou®
An audiogram is a useful diagnostic tool; however listening in dayto-day ambient loudness is a personal preference that varies from
predictions based on one’s threshold of hearing.
Our IHearYou® software balances the loudness of sounds
(using the sliders) to get straight to your comfortable hearing
aid output levels.
If you feel your hearing levels or your listening preferences have
changed, and you decide to adjust your hearing aids, then the
best place to re-start is the loudness equaliser. The loudness of the
chimes should sound balanced. Then the volume can be adjusted
to be comfortable to you.
36 Section 4.0 If your hearing levels change
You are not required to adjust audiograms. These should only
be changed if you wish to update audiogram data for recording
purposes and you would like help choosing a new starting point for
the equaliser sliders. Remember to check for wax build-up and other
device troubleshooting if you think sound has become quiet.
Summary: Our hearing aids are usually tuned to your comfortable
levels rather than a prescription from your audiogram. Your
audiogram is an important diagnostic tool. We use it as a guide to
the initial position of the sliders in the IHearYou®. You can go straight
to the loudness equalisation sliders if you feel your hearing has
changed over time and would like to re-fit your hearing aids.
You should always consult a medical professional without delay
if you notice a sudden loss of hearing or dizziness.
If your listening preferences have changed: you should re-balance
loudness using the loudness equaliser.
Section 4.0 If your hearing levels change 37
5.0 Getting Help
Blamey Saunders hears can help you in the
following ways:
Helpdesk
Contact our helpdesk for assistance directly.
Blamey Saunders hears
364 Albert Street
East Melbourne, VIC 3002
T +61 3 9008 6371
[email protected]
Remote hands-on
If necessary, we can securely connect to your
computer and help you through the process.
For in-depth remote support relating to hearing,
tuning and other tele-audiology, we offer a fee
for consultation service - for extra support in our clinic
or your own living room.
38 Section 5.0 Getting help
blameysaunders.com.au

A detailed guide to using your IHearYou software

Transcription

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