This study investigated the validity of the Kuduwave diagnostic audiometer outside of a sound booth, and investigated the attenuation characteristics and live ambient noise-monitoring feature of the KUDUwave audiometer.
Improved passive attenuation and valid environmental noise monitoring was demonstrated with the Kuduwave. Attenuation levels of up to 50 dB HL were demonstrated across the conventional frequency spectrum (250 - 8000 Hz).
Clinically, air-conduction thresholds inside and outside the sound booth using an industry standard audiometer and the Kuduwave, respectively, corresponded within 5 dB or less 90% of all instances. Bone conduction thresholds corresponded within 5 dB or less in 80% of comparisons between test environments. Threshold differences between the two audiometers were not statistically significant. The test-retest differences outside the sound booth were similar to those in the booth.
Diagnostic pure-tone audiometry outside a sound booth, using a Kuduwave audiometer with improved passive attenuation, and real-time environmental noise monitoring is accurate and reliable.