Interacoustics AS608 User manual

Page 1
Operation Manual
Screening Audiometer
AS608/AS608e
Valid from serial 744081
80696203 –ver. 06/2009
Operation Manual

Page 1
Operation Manual

Page 1
Operation Manual
Table of Contents
Table of Contents .............................................................................1
Introduction.......................................................................................1
Intended Use ..................................................................................1
Extended Function..........................................................................1
Precautions .......................................................................................2
Warranty ............................................................................................5
Air Conduction..................................................................................7
Functions of Buttons & Display....................................................10
Power Up and Power Off:.............................................................10
Pure Tone Presentation................................................................10
AS608e Special Functions: ..........................................................11
Display:.........................................................................................12
Setup Menu of AS608/AS608e.......................................................14
Technical Specifications................................................................19
Parts..............................................................................................22
Electrical Installation.....................................................................22
External Connections - Standard Accessories.............................24
Unpacking / Inspection ..................................................................25
Contents of Shipment...................................................................25
Reporting Imperfections................................................................26
Operating Temperature ................................................................27
Care and Maintenance .................................................................27
Trouble Shooting............................................................................28
Dictionary ........................................................................................29
Appendix: General Maintenance Procedures.............................30
Drawing of Front Plate ...................................................................33
Return Report..................................................................................35

Page 1
Operation Manual

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page1
Page 1
Operation Manual
Introduction
Intended Use
The AS608/AS608e screening audiometer is designed to be a device
for screening for hearing loss. Output and specificity of this type of
device are based on the test characteristics defined by the user, and
may vary depending on environmental and operating conditions. The
screening for hearing loss using this kind of audiometer depends on
the interaction with the patient. “Normal hearing” result should not
allow for ignoring other contra indications. A full audiologic evaluation
should be administered if concerns about hearing sensitivity persist
The AS608/AS608e audiometer is intended to be used by an
audiologist, hearing healthcare professionals, or trained
technicians in a quiet environment. It is recommended that the
instrument be operated within an ambient temperature range of 15-
35 degree Celsius (59-95 degrees Fahrenheit)
Extended Function
The AS608e extends the AS608 functionalities with the following
three extra features:
PC Integration through the Diagnostic Suite software. This
enables audiograms to be transferred and displayed in the
Windows software and stored in the OtoAccessTM or Noah
databases. The Diagnostic Suite also includes advanced
reporting and printing features (similar to the AC440 software
module.) Please refer to the Diagnostic Suite user manual
for instructions about how to use the PC software suite.
In addition to traditional manual testing, the AS608e
incorporates a Hughson Westlake patient controlled
automatic threshold test complying with ISO 8253. When the
test is completed the results are easily recalled from the
internal memory of the AS608.
Talk Forward function that makes the AS608e easy to work
with particularly in sound booth installations.

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page2
Page 2
Operation Manual
Precautions
Be sure to use only stimulation intensities,
which will be acceptable for the patient.
The transducers supplied with the
instrument are calibrated to this instrument -
exchange of transducers require a
recalibration.
It is recommended that parts which are in
direct contact with the patient (e.g. earphone
cushions) are subjected to standard
disinfecting procedure between patients. This includes physically
cleaning and use of a recognised disinfectant. Individual
manufacturer's instruction should be followed for use of this
disinfecting agent to provide an appropriated level of cleanliness.
Never insert or in any way use the insert
headset without a new clean non defect test
tip.
WARNING indicates a hazardous
situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious
injury.
CAUTION, used with the safety
alert symbol, indicates a hazardous
situation which, if not avoided,
could result in minor or moderate
injury.
NOTICE is used to address
practices not related to personal
injury.

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page3
Page 3
Operation Manual
External equipment intended for connection to
signal input, signal output or other connector, shall
comply with relevant IEC standard (e.g. IEC 60950
for IT equipment and the IEC 60601 series for
medical electrical equipment). In addition, all such
combinations –systems –shall comply with the standard 60601-1-1,
Safety requirements for medical electrical systems. Equipment not
complying with IEC 60601 shall be kept outside patient environment,
as defined in standard (at least 1.5 m from the patient).
Any person who connects external equipment to signal input, signal
output or other connectors has formed a system and is therefore
responsible for the system to comply with the requirements of IEC
60601-1-1. If in doubt, contact your service technician or local
representative for help.
If connection is made to a standard PC which is powered through the
mains network, special precautions must be taken in order to
maintain medical safety.
A standard USB cable can only be used, if the connected PC is:
• running on battery, or
• medical approved, or
• powered via a medical approved safety transformer.
In all other cases, a galvanic separator must be inserted in the USB
connection.
The AS608/AS608e is intended to be
powered from a PC as described above,
from batteries or from a medical power
supply type ASA30M-0301. Using other supplies is not allowed.
Do not site the AS608/AS608e next to a
radiator or any other heat source. Allow six
inches between the back panel and the wall
to ensure proper ventilation.
In operation the instrument should not be
subject to temperatures below 15Cor
above 35C. If the instrument is moved from

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page4
Page 4
Operation Manual
a cold location to a warmer one, there will be a risk of condensation.
If condensation occurs the instrument must be allowed to achieve
normal temperature before it is turned on.
Although the instrument fulfils the relevant
EMC requirements precautions should be
taken to avoid unnecessary exposure to
electromagnetic fields, e.g. from mobile phones etc. If the device is
used adjacent to other equipment it must be observed that no mutual
disturbance appears.
To avoid damage to the instrument and
leakage from the batteries, please remove
the batteries if the instrument is unlikely to
be used for some time.
It is important that instructions set forth in
this manual are followed closely in order to
maintain the safety and full functionality of
the instrument.
External power supply through USB socket.
Within the European Union it is illegal to dispose
electric and electronic waste as unsorted municipal
waste. Electric and electronic waste may contain
hazardous substances and therefore has to be
collected separately. Such products will be marked
with the crossed-out wheeled bin shown below. The
cooperation of the user is important in order to ensure a high level of
reuse and recycling of electric and electronic waste. Failing to
recycle such waste products in an appropriate way may endanger
the environment and consequently the health of human beings.
Disposal of batteries must be made according to national
regulations.

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page5
Page 5
Operation Manual
Warranty
INTERACOUSTICS warrants that:
The AS608/AS608e is free from defects in material and
workmanship under normal use and service for a period
of 24 months from the date of delivery by Interacoustics
to the first purchaser.
Accessories are free from defects in material and
workmanship under normal use and service for a period
of ninety (90) days from the date of delivery by
Interacoustics to the first purchaser.
If any product requires service during the applicable warranty
period, the purchaser should communicate directly with the local
Interacoustics service centre to determine the appropriate repair
facility. Repair or replacement will be carried out at Interacoustics’
expense, subject to the terms of this warranty. The product
requiring service should be returned promptly, properly packed,
and postage prepaid. Loss or damage in return shipment to
Interacoustics shall be at purchaser's risk.
In no event shall Interacoustics be liable for any incidental,
indirect or consequential damages in connection with the
purchase or use of any Interacoustics product.
This shall apply solely to the original purchaser. This warranty
shall not apply to any subsequent owner or holder of the product.
Furthermore, this warranty shall not apply to, and Interacoustics
shall not be responsible for, any loss arising in connection with
the purchase or use of any Interacoustics product that has been:
repaired by anyone other than an authorized
Interacoustics service representative;
altered in any way so as, in Interacoustics judgement, to
affect its stability or reliability;
subject to misuse or negligence or accident, or which has
had the serial or lot number altered, effaced or removed;
or

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page6
Page 6
Operation Manual
improperly maintained or used in any manner other than
in accordance with the instructions furnished by
Interacoustics.
This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties, express or implied,
and of all other obligations or liabilities of Interacoustics, and
Interacoustics does not give or grant, directly or indirectly, the
authority to any representative or other person to assume on
behalf of Interacoustics any other liability in connection with the
sale of Interacoustics products.
INTERACOUSTICS DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES,
EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FOR FUNCTION OF FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR APPLICATION

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page7
Page 7
Operation Manual
Air Conduction
Hearing threshold levels can be determined by presenting test
signals to the test subject with the included earphones (air
conduction –AC). The purpose of AC audiometry is to establish the
hearing sensitivity at various frequencies. The test can specify the
AC loss but cannot distinguish between abnormality in the
conductive mechanism and sensor neural mechanism.
Headset Placement:
Remove eye glasses and ear rings if possible and position
the headband directly over the top of the head. Place the
rubber cushions so that the diaphragms are aimed directly
at the opening into the ear canal. Pull down the yokes of
the phones and adjust for tight fit. If the cushions are not
tight to the ears, the test results may be false at lower
frequencies.
Background Noise:
Background noise can also produce false test results,
especially at lower frequencies. If necessary, the DD45 can
be equipped with noise excluding enclosures. Please
contact the distributor for more information.
Instruction of Subject:
Prior to hearing threshold level measurements, the
following instructions should be given. "You will now hear a
variety of pitches with various loudness levels. Please push
the signal button when you hear a tone and release the
button when you no longer hear it. If not using the response
button, ask the patient to “raise their left or right hand when
you hear the tone in the left or right ear".
Threshold Determination:
The test normally starts at 1000 Hz on the patient's better
ear with the L/R switch adjusted accordingly.

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page8
Page 8
Operation Manual
Familiarization:
Present a tone at 1000 Hz which can easily be perceived
(i.e. 50dB) If necessary, increase with steps of 10 dB until
the tone is clearly perceived.
Threshold Determination:
The hearing threshold is defined as the lowest level at
which more than half of the stimuli are heard. This
threshold is found by the following procedure.
1) Present a tone which is 10 dB lower than the level at
which familiarization was finished.
2) Decrease the level in steps of 10 dB until response
fails.
3) Increase the level in steps of 5 dB until the subject
responds again.
4) Repeat 2) and 3) two or three times until the threshold
appears at the same level.
The time intervals in between the stimuli should be varied
to prevent the subject to react on the rhythm.
5) Change to the next frequency and repeat the
procedure until all frequencies are measured. Repeat
the procedure at 1000 Hz. If the difference to the
previously found threshold is then 5dB or less go to
the other ear. If the difference is 10 dB or higher,
repeat the test at the other frequencies, until
agreement to 5 dB or less has been obtained.
6) Proceed until both ears have been tested.
Screening Procedure:
It is common to test at one dB level for preliminary hearing
screenings as is often done in schools and primary practice clinics.
In this instance you would follow the same familiarization and
instruction procedures as stated above, but present a single dB level
(i.e. 25dB) at just 4 frequencies (500, 1000, 2000 & 4000 Hz) in each
ear. In this instance, you simply record a response or no response to
the single tone presentations at each frequency.

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page9
Page 9
Operation Manual
Auto Threshold:
In addition to traditional manual testing, the AS608e incorporates a
Hughson Westlake patient controlled automatic threshold test
complying with ISO 8253. When the test is completed the results are
easily recalled from the internal memory of the AS608e and
transferred to the Diagnostic Suite PC software and stored in
OtoAccessTM or Noah.
Hughson Westlake is an automatic pure tone test procedure.
Threshold is defined as 2 out of 3 (or 3 out of 5) correct responses
at a certain level in a 5 dB increase and 10 dB decrease test
procedure. The Hughson Westlake is used to obtain pure tone
thresholds automatically.
Talk Forward
The Talk Forward function makes the AS608e easy to work with
particularly in sound booth installations.

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page10
Functions of Buttons & Display
The AS608/AS608e front plate:
Power Up and Power Off:
To turn on the audiometer press the Tone Switch (3) button. To
power off the audiometer hold down the two rotary wheel buttons, 1)
and 2), simultaneously for a few seconds. The audiometer will also
automatically power off after 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 minutes depending on the
settings (see next section).
Pure Tone Presentation
1) Select desired frequency with the "Frequency" button
2) Select desired intensity with the HL dB.
3) Present tone by touching Tone Switch. An indication will be on
Display (see below).
1
2
3
A B C

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page11
F1) On AS608: Select the Right ear. On AS608e: Toggle between
Right and Left.
F2) On AS608: Select the Left ear. On As608e: Store threshold.
F3) Manual or Pulse:
Manual: Manual Tone presentation as long as the Tone Switch
is activated.
Pulse: Pulsing Tone will be presented as long as the Tone
Switch is activated.
F4) Pure Tone or Warble:
If Tone is selected pure tones will be presented to the subject when
the Tone Switch is activated.
If Warble is selected warble tones will be presented to the
subject when the Tone Switch is activated.
AS608e Special Functions:
Talk Forward: On the AS608e Talk Forward is activated by holding
down the HL db (3) rotary wheel.
While holding down the The Talk button (3), the talk forward level
can be adjusted.
The following F-key functionalities can be access by pressing the
frequency rotary wheel (1):
F1: Delete all thresholds stored in the internal memory of the
AS608e.

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page12
F2: Store a Not Heard threshold point.
F3: Display the L/R thresholds stored in the internal memory of the
AS608e.
F4: Start the Hughson Westlake (HW) automatic test procedure.
Please refer to the next chapter for instructions about how to setup
the HW test.
Display:
A) Tone: A tone presentation indicator is provided in the top left
corner of the display header.
B) Response: When using the APS3 response button, a
response is indicated in the middle of display header.
C) Power On or Battery status: The power status of the
AS608/AS608e is indicated in the top right corner of the display
header.
The icon will change depending on whether the instrument is
powered via an external source (power supply or USB
connection to computer) or batteries.

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page13
When powered by batteries, the battery icon will change
depending on the battery power level. When batteries are
running low the display will read Low Battery and flash.
The Power Off settings of the instrument can be adjusted at
different time intervals or set to never power off –please see
Setup section for details.

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page14
Setup Menu of AS608/AS608e
To access the AS608/AS608e setup menu press F1 and F4
simultaneously for 2-3 seconds.
F1
Change setting
F2
Browse up in the setup menu
F3
Browse down in the setup menu
F4
Save settings and Back to previous screen display –
see below for details
Power up Tone
Press Change to toggle between Manual and Reverse.
Power up Ear
Press Change to toggle between Right and Left ear as the default
ear for Power Up
Default Intensity

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page15
The default intensity when changing ear side. Choose between: Off,
-10dB, -5dB, 0dB, 5dB, 10dB, 15dB, 20dB, 25dB, 30dB, 35dB, 40dB,
45dB and 50dB.
Intensity Steps
Choose Between: 1 dB and 5 dB.
Power Off setting
Press Change to toggle between Never, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 minutes.
Pulse Length
Press Change to toggle between 250msec and 500msec.
Language

AS608/AS608e Operation Manual Page16
Press Change to toggle between English, German, Spanish and
French.
LCD Contrast.
Press Change to toggle between settings ranging from 0 (very bright)
to 6 (very dark).
HW Test... (only on AS608e)
Press Change to go to the Hughson Westlake (HW) automatic test
procedure setup.
Press Change to toggle between Familiarization On/Off.
Familiarization is used to train the patient
Press Change to toggle between “2 correct out of 3 answers” and “3
correct out of 5 answers”. The conditions used before going to the
next frequency.