DIN IEC/TS 60318-7:2012-02

This prestandard describes a head and torso simulator for the measurement of hearing aids. It is the result of the revision of IEC/TR 60959 (1990). The substantial modifications compared with IEC/TR are the introduction of maximum measurement uncertainties and additional normative references. A future IEC standard is planned; it will include other head and torso simulator models for the measurement of hearing aids. IEC 60318-7 describes a head and torso simulator (manikin) intended for measurement of audiometric equipment for air conduction in the frequency range between 100 Hz to 10 000 Hz. The appliance consists of a head mounted on a torso that extends up to the waist. The head is equipped with reproduced auricles and cylindrical chambers. The latter form an acoustic terminating impedance; the location corresponding to the location of the eardrum of an average adult is equipped with microphones. It is designed such that it causes sound diffraction which corresponds to the diffraction at the average human head and torso. With this auricle replica the device is however not suitable for measurement of any type of hearing aid. For example, measurements cannot be taken correctly from most in-the-ear (ITE) and completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids. The responsible committee is Joint Subcommittee GUK 821.6 "Hörgeräte und audiometrische Messtechnik" ("Hearing aids and audiometric measurements") of the DKE (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies) at DIN and VDE.