Smartphone based hearing evaluation.

• The use of smartphone based health related mobile medical applications (MMAs) is widely popular, including those for hearing evaluation. • Most current MMAs imitate, to a variable extent, modules of standard audiometry. • Limitations of MMAs include: monitoring for the effect of background noise and for subject's attention, and variability with characteristics of headphones and other speakers. • MMAs can be effective in improving access to hearing evaluation and rehabilitation, lowering costs, and better selecting those patients who are in need of professionals' care. • Future MMAs should incorporate advanced hearing testing such as those designed to assess signals or speech in background noise. Smartphones are widely available, powerful handheld computers able to play and record sounds, and interface with other devices. Developers have released a large number of mobile medical applications (MMAs) designed to evaluate hearing. People with hearing loss may use these MMAs because they may not have access to traditional hearing healthcare providers. In addition to standard hearing assessment, providers may consider use of MMAs to reduce cost and improve flexibility of audiometric assessment. The majority of MMAs are designed to measure hearing thresholds, comprising only a portion of a standard comprehensive hearing test. This application can be limited by factors such as background noise, variation in output (ie, headphones) and users' attention when self-administered. Some MMAs better leverage the reality of smartphone testing environments with non-threshold tests. Hearing evaluation MMAs are well-suited to screen, triage and monitor hearing as a complement to standard testing. Future evolution of smartphone-based hearing evaluation can make better use of this platform's advantages to serve as a substitute for some components of standard testing. Application development must comply with local regulatory oversight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]