Seminars in Hearing Research

Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025

Location: Nelson Hall, Room 1215

Time: 12:00-1:00pm

Speaker: Isabella Huddleston, Alexandra Hustedt-Mai, and Michael Heinz

Title: APARC Practice Poster and Talk for Coalition on Global Hearing Health Conference

Abstract:Isabella Huddleston's Poster: Title: Evaluating Tympan as an Affordable and Accessible Substitute for Traditional Portable Audiometric Equipment The World Health Organization estimates that over 430 million people worldwide live with disabling hearing loss, with approximately 80% residing in low- and middle-income countries (World Health Organization, 2021). A major barrier to treatment in these regions is the limited availability of diagnostic services and the shortage of trained hearing care professionals. 93% of low-income countries report having fewer than one audiologist per one million people (Kamenov et al., 2021). The increasing demand for affordable and accessible hearing healthcare necessitates portable audiometric devices. While commercial options exist, their often-prohibitive cost limits widespread use, especially in resource-constrained settings. This research investigates the field usability of the Tympan, a cost-effective open-source research toolkit developed by Creare, LLC, in comparison to currently FDA-approved portable devices. The total cost of the Tympan system—including the Tympan ($300), a tablet ($1,000), and headphones ($200)—is approximately $1,500, significantly lower than competing devices, which typically range from $4,000 to $6,000. Our primary objective is to identify differences in precision, practical utility, operational efficiency, and user experience between the Tympan and established portable audiometers under real-world conditions. We assess factors like device setup time, user interface intuitiveness, portability, power requirements, and data management. The Tympan will be utilized in parallel with other portable audiometric instruments to perform equivalent assessments a part of program designed to increase hearing health care accessibility in rural Indiana communities, as well during a study investigating the auditory consequences of noise exposure during a Division-1 college basketball games, allowing us to assess the validity and usability of the Tympan in multiple environments. Preliminary findings highlight the Tympans' potential as a viable and user-friendly alternative for audiological applications, including community-based hearing assessments, mobile clinics, and remote healthcare. This study aims to inform future portable audiometry designs and to guide clinicians, researchers, and public health practitioners seeking efficient, affordable, and accurate tools for hearing assessment outside traditional clinical settings, especially in low-resource communities. Mike Heinz and Alex Hustedt-Mai’s Talk: Title: Accessible Precision Audiology Research Center (APARC): Community-Engaged Hearing Research in Indiana and Beyond Background: 430 million people across the globe have untreated hearing loss, 80% live in low/middle-income countries. Access to hearing healthcare is a major barrier with only one audiologist per 24,500 people in the U.S., and less than one per million people in most low-income countries. Even when care is available, treatment effectiveness is limited by poor diagnostic specificity for sensorineural hearing loss. The Accessible Precision Audiology Research Center (APARC) addresses these concerns by leveraging collaborations between audiology, auditory neuroscience, and AI data analytics to collect large-N data from diverse populations and developing an outreach model to provide audiological care to under-resourced communities. Methods: Originally located on campus, APARC expanded to Indianapolis to improve accessibility and participant diversity. APARC fosters community engagement and provides free comprehensive hearing evaluations. APARC has made lab testing completely mobile to reach rural communities who lack access. In partnership with Creare, APARC is validating the Open Hearing platform, an affordable, open-source hearing research toolkit designed to increase transparency and access to technology. Results: APARC opened next to a food court to facilitate community engagement and reach diverse populations. APARC has participated in many community events including the Indy Winter’s Farmers Market, which works with low-income community members. In 8 months open we have conducted comprehensive hearing evaluations for over 200 participants (racial demographics mirror the US), with each receiving results and recommendations from an audiologist. Additionally, APARC has received pilot funding to work with rural health clinics to teach providers how to screen for and counsel on hearing loss while bringing our comprehensive testing to the community with our mobile equipment, including the Open Hearing platform. Conclusions: APARC demonstrates the benefits and feasibility of community-engaged research. With a model that can be expanded to increase access to quality audiological care in underserved communities

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The working schedule is available here: https://purdue.edu/TPAN/hearing/shrp_schedule

The titles and abstracts of the talks will be added here: https://purdue.edu/TPAN/hearing/shrp_abstracts