A fast algorithm for the measurement of stimulus-frequency otoacoustic emission suppression tuning curves based on multi-level swept suppressor tones

Algorithms for measuring stimulus-frequency otoacoustic emission (SFOAE) suppression tuning curves (STCs) typically use pure tones as suppressors, leading to procedures which are time-consuming and difficult to apply in clinical settings. A fast algorithm based on multi-level swept suppressor tones (MLSST) is proposed in this study. Taking advantage of the time-varying frequencies of swept tones, the suppression effects on SFOAE produced by swept suppressor tones are obtained within a single test. Further, a SFOAE STC may be extracted by interpolation from a set of suppression-effect functions at multiple suppressor levels. In the present study, SFOAE STCs were obtained in twenty-six normal-hearing subjects using the fast MLSST and the traditional pure-tone algorithms. SFOAE STCs were measured with high test-retest repeatability using the MLSST algorithm (average mean absolute errors of 2.12 dB) and were nearly consistent with the SFOAE STCs obtained by the pure-tone algorithm (average mean absolute errors of 3.13 dB). In addition, with>1.8 times frequency solution of the acquired curves, the measurement speed of our MLSST algorithm was approximately 2.14 times faster than the traditional one.& COPY; 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.