Intro
One year ago, Sam Faulkner visited Eriksholm to collect data for his master’s thesis: Understanding Sound Environments: Common Soundscapes and Their Effect on Hearing Aid Users’ Listening Ability.
Sam’s study explored the sounds people with hearing aids tend to notice – or miss – in everyday environments. By comparing the experiences of hearing aid and non-hearing aid users, he could evaluate the ability and level of satisfaction of hearing aid users with outdoor sounds.
A hands-on approach to real-life listening
The innovative study combined inclusive design with hands-on fieldwork — and a wheelbarrow. Armed with a Klangfinder doll fitted with hearing aids, Sam led participants on soundwalks through the garden at Eriksholm. As they moved through different acoustic environments, participants reflected on their listening experience while the doll captured audio data.
One notable observation from Sam’s work highlights a potential safety issue: some participants struggled to detect nearby electric cars, which produce sound cues primarily designed in collaboration with blind communities. This suggests that the listening needs of hearing aid users should also be considered in urban design.
Another interesting insight was a high desire for hearing aid users to experience non-speech environments. This indicates a potential justification to using remote fitting techniques to adjust hearing aid programs in situ, allowing users to get the best fit to their everyday lives.
Next stop: Canada
Now graduated, Sam is taking the next step in his academic journey. He’s beginning a PhD under Dr. Susan Scollie at the National Centre for Audiology, Western University (Canada). There, he will investigate how different environments and sports gear, like helmets, influence acoustics and device satisfaction in children who use hearing aids. His five-year project also includes a clinical Master’s in audiology.
We wish Sam all the best and look forward to following his research as it continues to bridge design, sound, and real-life listening.
