Device for Simultaneous ABR/OAE Acquisition

We will develop a computerized device capable of simultaneously acquiring and processing otoacousti(OAEs) and auditory evoked potentials (AEPs). A simultaneous OAE-AEP recording device will provide amany clinical and research applications: l) differential diagnosis, 2) infant hearing screening andmonitoring. This system will acquire both OAEs and AEPs using the same set of stimuli and will implemulti-modality (acoustic and electrical) artifact rejection techniques. In addition, the device willmonitoring of the stimulus during AEP acquisition, providing additional safeguards against erroneousoccluded ear canals. The effects of new stimulus signals required for a dual OAE-AEP device will becompared to the standard derived nonlinear method (Kemp et al., 1986; I99Oa,b) currently used for tralternating and non-alternating polarity stimuli used for AEPs. A method of eliminating stimulus artnon- alternating stimulus signals in both OAEs and AEPs is also proposed. Phase I will focus on TEOAit will be expanded to include distortion product OAEs and frequency following AEPs.