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The program for the CRS/Amplifon conference "Bridges of Amsterdam" has been designed to bridge the major gaps that exist between the different fundamental components of hearing science and technology on the one hand and the successful use of advanced hearing aids in a complex auditory world at the other.
The focus of session A is to bridge the gap between amplification and the signal processing that is needed for an adequate compensation of auditory disabilities in hearing-impaired listeners. Current knowledge about hearing disabilities indicates that most hearing-impaired listeners need more intelligent compensation than simple amplification. Modern technology allows us to incorporate advanced signal processing in small hearing instruments, but there are limitations that have to be taken into account, either from the technological point of view, or due to audiological or medical reasons. In some cases implantable hearing aids are a better option than the traditional hearing instruments, as will be shown in session A.
The focus of session B is to bridge the gap between the theoretical fitting rules that are applicable in a quiet environment and a comfortable application of hearing aids in real life. In session B the focus is not primarily on the match between the hearing-impaired individual and his/her hearing aid, but on the interaction with the acoustical environment. Background noise and reverberation reduce the beneficial effects of hearing instruments and in the fitting of the hearing aid the diversity and complexity of listening situations in daily life should be taken into account. There are powerful models to predict the effects of noise and reverberation and advanced hearing aids are also able to discriminate and identify different acoustical situations in order to allow automatic adaptations of the aid’s characteristics.
The focus of session C is to bridge the gap between fitting rules that do a good job for the average hearing-aid user and the actual needs for the individual user. Prescription rules usually provide an adequate starting point, but they have their limitations and an individual fine-tuning is required to obtain optimal results. Different approaches will be highlighted and the pros and cons will be discussed. The worlds of hearing aids and cochlear implants developed quite independently, but also in this are there is need to bridge the gap, because overlap between the target groups is growing and bimodal stimulation (electric and acoustic) has proven to be successful.
Finally, the focus of session D will be the evaluation that tries to assess whether the gap between (reduced) auditory capacities of the individual hearing aid user and the auditory demands of his/her daily life has been bridged. Here we can apply different techniques, like objective tests, psych-acoustical outcome measures, or self-report data. A careful selection of the appropriate material is important in terms of quality assessment and cost-benefit considerations.
The four sessions all cover different areas of auditory rehabilitation in which there was considerable progress in recent years. Not all aspects of auditory rehabilitation can be covered in the context of a two-day meeting, but nevertheless the most exciting developments have been programmed, will be highlighted, and can be discussed.
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