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 unique & unusual believe it or not
auDiometers cochlear implants  

 

AUdiometers

Early diagnosis of a hearing loss was attempted by use of tuning forks, the Struycken Monochord, and other more subjective methods.

Turning Forks

Struycken Monochord
Turning Forks Struycken Monochord

As the technology in electronics and a greater knowledge of electroacoustics was accumulated, attempts were made by A.G. Bell in the late 1800's utilizing a variation on his electromagnetic induction balance device. Finally, Western Electric manufactured the first well-designed electric audiometer in 1923. The primary concern of physicians was whether a hearing loss existed and if they could medically correct it. In the late 1940's following WWII, a great many hearing impaired veterans were beyond medical help for their hearing losses which were due to noise exposure. Veterans required rehabilitation with hearing aids for their permanent hearing losses. Consequently, audiometers assumed a prominent role in the fitting of hearing aids as well as diagnostics.

With the exception of the Western Electric Model 1A, the following examples are from the Gordon Stowe collection which was donated to the museum before his death. Models are from each decade, 1920's through 1970's, each with a brief synopsis.

Western Electric

Western Electric 1-A

Western Electric Model 1-A was manufactured in 1923. The Western Electric audiometer was the first well-designed electroacoustic audiometer.
Western Electric 2A

Western Electric 2-A

Western Electric Model 2-A was manufactured in the 1930s. The Western Electric 2-A audiometer was a smaller, more portable version of the Western Electric 1-A. The audiometer had a seven-octave frequency range in which presentations were limited to eight frequencies between 64 Hz to 8,192 Hz.
Audio Development

Audio Development Company Model 51

Audio Development Company Model 51 was manufactured in the late 1940s. The Audio Development audiometer generated pure tones between 128 Hz and 8192 Hz. Signals could be sent via air or bone conduction without unplugging the equipment. The audiometer also featured a "Talk" option, which allowed the examiner to communicate with the client.
Maico

Maico E-2

Maico Model E-2 manufactured in the early 1950's. This audiometer had provisions for pure tones, warbled tones, speech, and masking via air or bone conduction. Included twin air receivers, bone conductor, microphone, patient signal button, and a VU meter for each of two channels.
Beltone

Beltone 15A

Beltone Model 15A Manufactured in the early 1960's. Included were provisions for pure tones, masking, speech, and warbled tones. Sound input could be via microphone, phonograph, or tape. Features included twin air receivers, a bone conductor, patient signal button, and a microphone.
Maico MA 22

Maico MA-22

Maico Model MA-22 was manufactured in the mid 1970s. This audiometer was designed to facilitate a battery of diagnostic site-of-lesion tests. Standard tests include continuous and interrupted pure tone and live speech stimuli. Other features include white noise, speech noise, and automatically switched to narrow band noise. The audiometer included twin air conduction receivers, a bone oscillator, adjustable microphone, patient response button, talkback microphone, and a single air receiver.