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MedicineAnatomy and Physiology

Law Enforcement Head-Borne Personal Protective Equipment Hearing Attenuation

Authors: Qi Li; Joshua Haijeck; Tom Burchfield; LI CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES INC FLORHAM PARK NJ
Abstract:
Test methods were developed to quantify and assess the effects of personal protection equipment (PPE) on hearing. The tests use a head and torso simulator that is able to don PPE and employs advanced acoustic, signal processing, and measurement techniques. The tests measure localization and speech intelligibility effects of PPE. The methods also assess the effects of noise generated by PPE fabric and/or electro/mechanical noise. Localization effects are evaluated in terms of the Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF). Speech intelligibility is evaluated using the Speech Transmission Index (STI). Results show that HRTF and STI scores are significantly altered with various PPE and PPE-created noise.

Limitations: APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Description: Final rept. Dec 2007-Dec 2008
Pages: 48
Report Date: Apr-2009
Report Number: A634894
Keywords relating to this report:
*ELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICES
*HEARING
*PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
*SIGNAL PROCESSING
*Speech transmission
HUMAN BODY
INTELLIGIBILITY
MEASUREMENT
METHODOLOGY
NOISE
SPEECH
TEST METHODS
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