Design of a clinically viable pneumatic system for the acquisition of pressure compensated otoacoustic emissions.

Otoacoustic emission (OAE) screening is perhaps one of the most common diagnostic tools used on both adults and children alike to clinically asses hearing health. However small to moderate middle ear pressures (both positive and negative), which are quite prevalent among the general population, are known to significantly reduce the OAE response specifically among frequencies below 2 kHz. This study focuses on the design and development of a software controlled syringe pump which will be used for the automatic compensation of middle ear pressure. This study reports validating test results which confirm the feasibility of using this system for future clinical trials.