Alison  Vaughan

Hi, I'm Alison Vaughan and I studied within Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton.

My project required me to integrate technical and clinical modules studied during my degree. I carried out a study to compare the performance of two types of bone vibrator in terms of air-borne radiation of sound

 

"Surprisingly, we can hear sound via the bones of our head (one reason your voice sounds different to you on a recording). This is called bone conduction hearing, and is exploited clinically to determine the type of hearing loss. One clinical problem, though, is that the devices for producing bone-conduction hearing (called bone vibrators) radiate sound through the air at high frequencies, and some patients can hear this better than the bone-conducted sound.

"I carried out a study to compare the performance of two types of bone vibrator (the conventional vs. a new one) in terms of air-borne radiation of sound. I measured this using a technique that is also used to tune a hearing aid in a patient's ear, whereby sound level is measured at the ear drum. Twenty normal-hearing subjects and an artificial head were tested. I found that the new bone vibrator doesn't reduce air-borne radiation, although it seems to offer other important benefits.

"This project required me to integrate technical and clinical modules studied during my degree, deepening my understanding and developing the skills needed to pursue research at a higher level, as well as to practise audiology in a thoughtful and evidence-based way."