Theme: Otology
Background
App-based audiometry has the potential to transform access to hearing assessment, but there are currently no apps designed specifically for children or capable of differentiating between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. DigiBel is a novel, web-based audiometry app developed to be child-friendly, portable, and suitable for home use. This pilot study evaluated its usability, child preference, and diagnostic accuracy compared with standard pure tone audiometry (PTA).
Methods
Ten children (ages 4–9) with confirmed conductive pathology completed DigiBel testing alongside standard PTA. Measures included child usability ratings, stated preference, DigiBel air and bone conduction thresholds, and concordance with clinical pass/fail classification. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using standard audiometry as the reference.
Results
Engagement was high: 8/10 children rated DigiBel positively, and 7 preferred it over standard testing, frequently describing it as “fun”, “less confusing”, or more motivating than conventional audiometry. DigiBel correctly identified 19/20 ears with conductive hearing loss, yielding >99% sensitivity and specificity for pass/fail classification. Bone-conduction screening within the app produced BC-pass in 13/15 tested ears, aligning with masked clinical BC thresholds and demonstrating DigiBel’s ability to distinguish conductive patterns.
Conclusions
This pilot study demonstrates that DigiBel can deliver accurate, engaging behavioural thresholds and reliably identify conductive hearing loss. Its strong usability and diagnostic agreement in this sample support its potential for home monitoring, remote follow-up, and early detection of fluctuating conductive loss. Larger-scale validation will explore longitudinal performance and real-world home-use reliability.