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Below is the latest news from HOorzaken. (The original post in Dutch can be found here)
HearingScan Pro app enables accurate hearing assessments with Mac, iPad and iPhone
The HearingScan Pro app makes it possible to conduct highly accurate hearing assessments using a Mac, iPad or iPhone.
The app uses a closed-back headphone and a sound level meter for system calibration. Users can perform pure-tone audiometry, testing in background noise, and tinnitus matching.
According to developer Wicher Donga, the app delivers measurement accuracy comparable to professional clinical equipment.
However, HearingScan Pro is not a certified medical device, which means its use is limited to screening, research and self-monitoring.
From precise measurements to portable applications
Donga emphasises that while HearingScan Pro can perform highly precise measurements, it is not a registered medical instrument and must therefore not be used for diagnostics or treatment decisions.
The app is intended for research, education and screening, for instance in hospitals or universities that wish to measure hearing outside a traditional soundproof booth.
Because it runs on lightweight Apple devices
Donga points out that HearingScan Pro can also be used in the field, offering flexibility where portability is key.
Precision through standard hardware
HearingScan Pro is designed for GPs, audiologists, ENT specialists and researchers who need to perform hearing tests quickly and accurately outside the clinical environment.
The software complies with leading international audiometry standards including ISO 8253-1, the ISO 389 series, and ANSI/ASA S3.6.
Donga explains the app’s open approach:
“HearingScan Pro was designed with an open mindset, without a narrowly defined audience. It can therefore be used both in hospitals that wish to go beyond standard setups and in developing countries where budgets are limited.”
Required equipment
To achieve reliable results, calibration with a sound level meter is required.
The manual recommends a meter that measures in dBA and accurately captures sound levels between 125 Hz and 8000 Hz, ideally with a valid calibration certificate.
Using a budget-grade meter will reduce the exceptionally high precision of 0.1 dB, but accuracy will still remain within ±3 dB — which is better than most conventional audiometric instruments.
A closed-back headphone with a flat frequency response up to 8 kHz is advised.
Users can choose between standard closed-back headphones or specialised audiometric models that offer improved sealing and reduced ambient noise.
Calibration is carried out step-by-step: for each frequency, the user measures the dBA level and enters it into the app.
The resulting accuracy depends entirely on the quality of the sound level meter.
After one week, the app will issue a re-calibration reminder, which is also required whenever hardware changes are made.
Hearing tests with HearingScan Pro can also be performed directly on an iPhone.
Measurement resolution and accuracy
Like conventional audiometry, thresholds are determined in 5 dB steps.
HearingScan Pro distinguishes itself through the precision of its output calibration.
When paired with a certified sound level meter, the app can apply readings with an accuracy of 0.1 dB, meaning the actual sound pressure during testing corresponds much more closely to the intended target value than in typical systems with larger tolerances.
In clinical audiometry, measurement uncertainty is generally around ±5 dB due to patient attention, ambient noise, and hardware variation.
According to ISO 8253-1 and the British Society of Audiology, such deviation is considered normal and clinically insignificant.
However, HearingScan Pro’s greater calibration accuracy may be particularly useful for research into hearing fluctuations, such as those seen in Ménière’s disease.
Various hearing test options
The app includes protocols for standard audiometry, unilateral or bilateral masking, testing in noise, and tinnitus matching.
Results display the familiar speech banana, and bone conduction testing is also supported.
Measurements can be imported or exported for analysis or comparison.
For individuals affected by Ménière’s disease, the app can help document hearing changes before, during and after an episode — something that is often impossible in a clinical environment.
This enables more detailed tracking of the condition’s progression over time.
Important notes and limitations
Although the app follows ISO and ANSI guidelines and offers high measurement resolution, HearingScan Pro is not a certified medical device — and this distinction is crucial.
Professional audiometers used in hearing centres, audiology clinics and hospitals fall under the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR, EU 2017/745) and carry a CE mark confirming their compliance with safety, accuracy and reliability standards.
Certified audiometers from manufacturers such as Interacoustics, MAICO or Grason-Stadler are periodically checked and recalibrated by accredited laboratories.
They typically belong to Class IIa, meaning they can be used for diagnostic testing that supports medical decision-making.
Apps like HearingScan Pro fall outside this scope. They cannot issue diagnoses and are intended solely for screening, self-monitoring and research.
While the results may provide useful indications, they must not be interpreted as medical opinions.
Their reliability fully depends on the headphones, calibration quality and accuracy of the sound level meter — requiring technical understanding and consistency from the user.
A practical tool for fieldwork and research
Thanks to its portable design and low cost, the HearingScan Pro app can be valuable for occupational health professionals, research institutions and clinicians who need to perform rapid hearing screenings.
Although it does not replace a fully certified clinical audiometer, its accessibility and mobility offer strong potential for monitoring, prevention and research applications.
More information: https://www.enlightenment.school/hearingscan-pro.html
User manual (PDF): https://www.enlightenment.school/download/hearingscan-pro.pdf
Email contact: info@enlightenment.school
The post “HearingScan Pro app enables accurate hearing assessments with Mac, iPad and iPhone” first appeared on HOorzaken.
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Kind regards,
René van der Wilk
