Understanding oto-acoustic emissions – an easy and intuitive introduction
09-10, 14:30–15:00 (Europe/Istanbul), Audiology 2

Objective

This instructional course offers an easy way to arrive at an intuitive, yet scientifically correct understanding of otoacoustic emissions (OAE). It is well suited for professionals who want to have a basic understanding of OAE. No prior knowledge or experience is required.

Background

OAE are acoustical signals generated within the inner ear. Today, more than four decades after their first description, they are widely used diagnostic tool in audiology.

Methods

The anatomical, physiological and physical basis of OAE will be discussed. The principle and the diagnostic value of two most frequently used measurement methods (transiently evoked OAE or TEOAE and distorsion product OAE or DPOAE) will be shown.

Special feature

During this course, you will have the opportunity to try to listen to your own otoacoustic emissions. A word of caution though: unfortunately, as the levels of OAEs are very low, often only about 2/3 of the listeners are able to hear them.

Results

At the end of this course, you will know how, where and when OAE are generated. You will know the difference between TEOAE and DPOAE and have an understanding of their respective diagnostic values. With a little bit of luck, you will have head your own OAEs.


An easy, and maybe even a little bit entertaining course to gain an intuitive understanding on optoacoustic emissions, even (or especially) for professionals not working with OAE every day.

Session Chair Session Chair

Martin Kompis is professor at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and head of audiology at the ENT-Departement of the Inselspital (university hospital) in Bern. He has received his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich in 1993, and his Medical degree (M.D.) from the University in Zurich in 1995. After a post-doc at Purdue University, Indiana (U.S.A.) he has become head of audiology at the department of otolaryngology at the University Hospital of Bern, where he has been working since 1997. He has published more than 100 scientific peer-reviewed papers and several books, including a standard text book on audiology in German and Italian.

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