Development of an auditory situation awareness test battery for advanced hearing protectors and TCAPS: detection subtest of DRILCOM (detection-recognition/identification-localization-communication)

Abstract

Objective: To design a test battery and conduct a proof-of-concept experiment of a test method that can be used to measure the detection performance afforded by military advanced hearing protection devices (HPDs) and tactical communication and protective systems (TCAPS). Design: The detection test was conducted with each of the four loudspeakers located at front, right, rear and left of the participant. Participants wore 2 in-ear-type TCAPS, 1 earmuff-type TCAPS, a passive Combat Arms Earplug in its “open” or pass-through setting and an EB-15LE™ electronic earplug. Devices with electronic gain systems were tested under two gain settings: “unity” and “max”. Testing without any device (open ear) was conducted as a control. Study sample: Ten participants with audiometric requirements of 25 dBHL or better at 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000 Hz in both ears. Results: Detection task performance varied with different signals and speaker locations. The test identified performance differences among certain TCAPS and protectors, and the open ear.

Conclusions: A computer-controlled detection subtest of the Detection-Recognition/Identification-Localisation-Communication (DRILCOM) test battery was designed and implemented. Tested in a proof-of-concept experiment, it showed statistically-significant sensitivity to device differences in detection effects with the small sample of participants (10). This result has important implications for selection and deployment of TCAPS and HPDs on soldiers and workers in dynamic situations.

Key Words:

• Auditory situation awareness
• hearing protection devices
• NIHL
• TCAPS
• HPED
• HPDs
• DRILCOM
• auditory perception
• detection
• warfighter hearing
• soldier hearing

Acknowledgements

The authors express gratitude to the U.S. Department of Defense Hearing Center of Excellence (HCE), COL Mark Packer, M.D., Executive Director, for recognising the need for an objective test battery for measuring the effects of TCAPS and HPDs on auditory situation awareness. Funding for this effort was provided via HCE award #W81XWH-13-C-0193, and Michael E. Elliott served as Grants Officer’s Representative. The authors would also like to thank Kurt Yankaskas, NIHL Program Director of the Office of Naval Research, for championing military research efforts on auditory situation awareness and its measurement and quantification.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.