Use of instantaneous energy of ABR signals for fast detection of wave V

Abstract

Brainstem evoked response audiometry is a powerful diagnostic technique in audiology, otology and neurology. ABR(Auditory Brainstem Response) machine has been very useful and popular in past two decades for detection of hearing defects and pathologies in newborns and children. In ABR, wave V is the most prominent and robust wave that has been used as indicator of hearing loss. However, a fast detection of the wave V is necessary in order to implement newborn hearing screening. Researchers have introduced different kind of signal processing technique in order to achieve this target and one of this is Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Wavelet Transform. In this study, the instantaneous energy of ABR signal had been introduced as a marker to identify the ABR waves. Study showed that the instantaneous energy of auditory brainstem response can be used as a marker to identify the ABR waves. This study had proposed a platform for fast hearing screening system.