Silent Cabin to carry out Free Field Test

Free Field Test

Published 17/01/2016

What is a free filed test ?

It’s about an exam planning vocal and sound tests inside a "free field" used to check the patient’s hearing. It is performed using special amplifers placed inside a silent room.
Such a method can be used in three ways:
  1.  As a screening method to detect if a hearing defect is present in one or both ear
  2. To define the seriousness of the eventual defect detected 
  3. To assess efficacy and tuning of a ear protesis
This control, that doesn’t require a long time, it is advisable and reliable because:
  •        Audiometry could not be necessary, in those cases where there isn’t any change compared to a previous audiogram, or where it is only required a screening to verify the elderly’s hearing on people at risk.
  •        To control and compare results in order to obtain information about the type and the seriousness of the damage on each ear.

Which products among Puma's delvery programme are suitable for such a use ?

Puma offers the possibility to configure our silent cabin through a complete optional package that makes easier the use of all the necessary instruments to carry out the free field test.
The package is developed for every cabin size and includes very important components that give the best comfort to professionals and patients during the use, providing moreover a value added to the product.
To perform a free filed test  it is required a minimal distance of 1 meter between patient's head and speakers, hence the package is applicable to cabins with internal measures not under cm 117x117 (placing speakers frontally with 45° angle) .
 
Models with minimum dimensions that are suitable to use our free field package are: PRO30 MAXI - PRO35F MAXI - PRO45S MAXI
Obviously, increasing the deimensions of the cabin we gain the possibility to put the speakers diagonally (at 90°) or laterally (at 180°)

 

Free fiels package: details

Following you may find some important technical details related to free fileld package:
  • Air replacement: The test requires the patient’s presence inside the cabin for several minutes, so it’s very important to grant a sufficent air recirculatioN by a ventilation system set up on the top of the cabin.
  • Secured ramps: The ramps enable the access in the cabin in complete security and comfort, without obstacles, also for wheelchair patients.
  • Internal sockets: power sockets enable to supply the instruments for carrying out the free field test.
  • External folding table: space saving solution as a support for the external instruments
  • Speakers supports: Arrangement for same speakers setup inside the cabin, supply of a fitting kit to decide in a better way the box position in complete autonomy.
Optional Package Designed to perform Free Field test in a wide selection of booths  
 
For further information on the free field test it is possible to read the following document:
ASSESSMENT OF HEARING: FREE FIELD VOICE TESTING & TUNING FORKS George Browning