This file was created by the TYPO3 extension bib --- Timezone: CEST Creation date: 2023-06-09 Creation time: 16-50-24 --- Number of references 51 article 2021 Ultrasound-(US) emitting sources are highly present in modern human environments (e.g., movement sensors, electric transformers). US affecting humans or even posing a health hazard remains understudied. Hence, ultrasonic (22.4 kHz) vs. sham devices were installed in participants' bedrooms, and active for 28 nights. Somatic and psychiatric symptoms, sound-sensitivity, sleep quality, executive function, and structural MRI were assessed pre-post. Somatization (possible nocebo) and phasic alertness increased significantly in sham, accuracy in a flexibility task decreased significantly in the verum condition (indicating hastier responses). Effects were not sustained after p-level adjustment. Exploratory voxel-based morphometry (VBM) revealed regional grey matter (rGMV) but no regional white matter volume changes in verum (relative to placebo). rGMV increased in bilateral cerebellum VIIb/Crus II and anterior cingulate (BA24). There were rGMV decreases in two bilateral frontal clusters: in the middle frontal gyri/opercular part of inferior frontal gyrus (BA46, 44), and the superior frontal gyri (BA4 ,6, 8). No brain-behavior-links were identified. Given the overall pattern of results, it is suggested that ultrasound may particularly induce regional gray matter decline in frontal areas, however with yet unclear behavioral consequences. Given the localization of clusters, candidate behavioral variables for follow-up investigation are complex motor control/coordination, stress regulation, speech processing, and inhibition tasks.Trial registration: The trial was registered at NIH www.clinicaltrials.gov , trial identifier: NCT03459183, trial name: SonicBrain01, full trial protocol available here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03459183. In: Sci Rep 11 (1), S. 5814. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83527-z. LeonieAscone ChristophKling J.Wieczorek ChristianKoch SimoneKühn article 2021 Airborne infrasound (IS; emitted by e.g., large machinery, wind farms) is ubiquitous in technologized environments. Health hazards are controversially discussed at present. This study investigated long-term effects of IS on brain (regional grey matter volume; rGMV) and behavior in humans. Specifically engineered infrasonic (6 Hz, 80-90 dB) vs. sham devices were installed in participants' (N = 38) bedrooms and active for 28 nights. Somatic and psychiatric symptoms, sound-sensitivity, sleep quality, cognitive performance, and structural MRI were assessed pre-post. Null findings emerged for all behavioral variables. Exploratory analyses revealed a trend (p = .083) with individuals exposed to IS reporting more physical weakness at post-test (d = 0.38). Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) revealed no rGMV increases, but there were decreases within clusters in the cerebellum VIIIa (bilateral) and left angular gyrus (BA39) in verum. In conclusion, IS does not affect healthy individuals on a global scale. However, future trials should consider more fine-grained specific effects, combining self-report with physiological assessments, particularly directed at bodily sensations and perception. As no brain-behavior-links could be established, the identified grey matter decline cannot be interpreted in terms of potential harmfulness vs. improvement through IS-exposure. Parameters that may best reflect brain changes as established in the present study include motor function, sensory processing/ bodily- and motor-perceptions, working memory, and higher auditory processing (i.e., language-related tasks), which are hence potential target variables for further research.Airborne infrasound (IS; emitted by e.g., large machinery, wind farms) is ubiquitous in technologized environments. Health hazards are controversially discussed at present. This study investigated long-term effects of IS on brain (regional grey matter volume; rGMV) and behavior in humans. Specifically engineered infrasonic (6 Hz, 80-90 dB) vs. sham devices were installed in participants' (N = 38) bedrooms and active for 28 nights. Somatic and psychiatric symptoms, sound-sensitivity, sleep quality, cognitive performance, and structural MRI were assessed pre-post. Null findings emerged for all behavioral variables. Exploratory analyses revealed a trend (p = .083) with individuals exposed to IS reporting more physical weakness at post-test (d = 0.38). Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) revealed no rGMV increases, but there were decreases within clusters in the cerebellum VIIIa (bilateral) and left angular gyrus (BA39) in verum. In conclusion, IS does not affect healthy individuals on a global scale. However, future trials should consider more fine-grained specific effects, combining self-report with physiological assessments, particularly directed at bodily sensations and perception. As no brain-behavior-links could be established, the identified grey matter decline cannot be interpreted in terms of potential harmfulness vs. improvement through IS-exposure. Parameters that may best reflect brain changes as established in the present study include motor function, sensory processing/ bodily- and motor-perceptions, working memory, and higher auditory processing (i.e., language-related tasks), which are hence potential target variables for further research. In: Sci Rep 11 (1), S. 3190. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82203-6. LeonieAscone ChristophKling ChristianKoch SimoneKühn J.Wieczorek Acta Acust. 4 (5), S. 20. 2020 At many immission sites of infrasound (frequency f < 20 Hz), humans are exposed to a mixture of infrasound and sound in the common audio-frequency range (audio sound, 20 Hz < f < 20 kHz). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the auditory perception of infrasound and audio sound not only in isolation but also in combination. This laboratory study aims to investigate the perceived unpleasantness of infrasound (sinusoid at 12 Hz) and audio sound (sinusoid at 1000 Hz, pink-noise 250–4000 Hz), presented alone or in combination with each other. A pairwise comparison task and a rating task using a numerical scale were conducted with 19 normal hearing listeners. In addition, individual detection thresholds were determined for the infrasound stimulus. Combinations of infrasound and audio sound were rated as equally or more unpleasant than either sound presented alone. Inter-individual differences in unpleasantness ratings using the numerical scale were particularly high for stimuli containing infrasound. This can only in part be related to the large variability in infrasound thresholds. These findings suggest that simultaneous exposure to infrasound and audio sound can increase the perceived unpleasantness when both are presented at a sufficient level above the detection threshold. DOI: 10.1051/aacus/2020019. ElisaBurke StefanUppenkamp ChristianKoch article 2020 An ear simulator user guide targeting stakeholders from health policy, clinical audiologists, calibration service providers and equipment manufacturers, has been prepared, covering all of the EMPIR EARSII (15HLT03) research findings to be disseminated. It also contains guidance for using and applying the new ear simulator family including issues for further development of the methodology. The research covered many measurement-related aspects of hearing assessment, that have an impact across a wide range of stakeholders from health service policy makers, and hearing assessment practitioners, to instrumentation manufacturers and calibration service providers. This guidance document has been produced to enable the research findings to be disseminated effectively, key achievements to be summarised and recommendations for further research to be made. The document covers the initial rationale for the project and from the metrology perspective, the improvements in calibration and traceability aimed for. However, it also points to the expected impact on the wider audiometric community, including enhanced service quality for clinicians, new technical drivers for manufacturers of instrumentation, and most importantly greater assurances for patients and their families. There is a description of the proposed new approach to hearing assessment that flows from having ear simulators covering different age points for the first time, and consideration of the continuity issues that may arise from introducing such significant changes. It covers innovations in calibration and in specifying the level of short-duration test stimuli that calibration service providers and the standardisation community alike can adopt and build upon. Importantly it also defines the scope of further audiological research needed to help establish the new ear simulator specifications and see them become embodied in international standards and gain acceptance. https://oar.ptb.de/resources/show/10.7795/EMPIR.15HLT03.RE.20201020 Datei herunterladen (application/pdf) 1.22 MB (1276880 Bytes) MD5 Prüfsumme: 0b48336624f7cf34627e5933b1dad624 SHA256 Prüfsumme: 631e195bccc81ce26017f9bd5ad2bf0b283a09b7966baa22eee6cf1e3168f0ce Ear simulators ; Objective audiometry ; Audiological equipment ; Hearing assessmen RichardBarham ErlingSandermann Olsen SalvadorBarrera Figueroa EnverSadikoğlu ChristianHof ThomasFedtke ChristianKoch article 2020 This dataset contains measuring data which are the result of investigations of the airborne ultrasound field of an ultrasonic welding machine. These investigations have been conducted within the scope of the EMPIR project 15HLT03: “Ears II - Metrology for modern hearing assessment and protecting public health from emerging noise sources”. In the context of “Ears II”, they served gaining knowledge for occupational safety and health. Here, the aim was to investigate the structure of the airborne ultrasound field at ultrasound related workplaces. Therefore, a reference workstation was set up in the laboratory of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). The airborne ultrasound field of a typical industrial source of airborne ultrasound (an ultrasonic welding machine) was measured with a scanning microphone system with a high spatial resolution. https://zenodo.org/record/3550527#.X3MNoWgzZaQ DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3550527 R.Schöneweiß ChristophKling ChristianKoch article Acta Acust. Volume 4, Number 4 2020 While exposure to airborne ultrasound is increasing in occupational contexts and in public and private spaces, existing demand for reliable and traceable determination of exposure to sound with frequencies above 16 kHz cannot currently be satisfied due to a lack of adequate measurement devices and procedures adapted to the specifics of airborne ultrasound. So that this study may serve as a first step for the development of a novel measurement procedure, its aim is to create a comprehensive database of the structures of airborne ultrasound fields present in occupational contexts. Based on this, the limitations of measurement procedures commonly used in the audible frequency range are clarified and the structural characteristics of airborne ultrasound fields investigated. This paper presents a laboratory study of the structure of the airborne ultrasound field of an ultrasonic welding machine, which can be considered a representative occupational source of airborne ultrasound. For this study, the technical and procedural requirements of a measuring system are derived and used to set up and calibrate a measuring system for three-dimensional, high spatial resolution scans of sound pressure levels in the laboratory. The measurement results reveal complex, extensive and very fine-structured interference patterns, some of which have sound pressure levels of up to 138 dB (re 20 μPa). https://doi.org/10.1051/aacus/2020013 Airborne ultrasound / Measuring system / Spatial scanning of sound pressure levels / Sound field mapping / Ultrasonic noise R.Schöneweiß ChristophKling ChristianKoch article Acta Acustica united with Acustica, S. Hirzel Verlag, 2019 , 105 , 1173-1182 2020 This study investigated whether the presence of audio sound (20 Hz < frequency f < 20 kHz) influences the detection threshold for infrasound (f < 20 Hz), and, vice versa, whether the presence of infrasound influences the detection threshold for audio sound. Monaural detection thresholds of thirteen otologically normal listeners were repeatedly determined for infrasound stimuli (sinusoids at 5 Hz and at 12 Hz) and for audio sound stimuli (sinusoids and bandlimited pink noise), separately and in presence of the respective other sound type. The measurements were performed with an adaptive 1-up-2-down 3-alternative forced-choice (3-AFC) procedure. Threshold levels for infrasound stimuli were not affected by audio sound at +5 dB sensation level (SL), but they were significantly increased by the presence of some of the audio sound stimuli presented at +50 dB SL. For example, thresholds for the detection of infrasound increased on average by around 5 dB when simultaneously presented with a pink-noise stimulus (frequency range: 250 Hz– 4000 Hz). On the other hand, the presence of infrasound with levels up to +10 dB SL did not cause any significant change in the detection thresholds for audio sound. This could be an indication that infrasound might even be more annoying in a quiet environment. https://doi.org/10.3813/AAA.919394 ElisaBurke JohannesHensel ThomasFedtke StefanUppenkamp ChristianKoch article PLoS ONE 15(2): e0229088 2020 Low frequency noise (LFS) and infrasound (IS) are controversially discussed as potential causes of annoyance and distress experienced by many people. However, the perception mechanisms for IS in the human auditory system are not completely understood yet. In the present study, sinusoids at 32 Hz (at the lower limit of melodic pitch for tonal stimulation), as well as 8 Hz (IS range) were presented to a group of 20 normal hearing subjects, using monaural stimulation via a loudspeaker sound source coupled to the ear canal by a long silicone rubber tube. Each participant attended two experimental sessions. In the first session, participants performed a categorical loudness scaling procedure as well as an unpleasantness rating task in a sound booth. In the second session, the loudness scaling procedure was repeated while brain activation was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Subsequently, activation data were collected for the respective stimuli presented at fixed levels adjusted to the individual loudness judgments. Silent trials were included as a baseline condition. Our results indicate that the brain regions involved in processing LFS and IS are similar to those for sounds in the typical audio frequency range, i.e., mainly primary and secondary auditory cortex (AC). In spite of large variation across listeners with respect to judgments of loudness and unpleasantness, neural correlates of these interindividual differences could not yet be identified. Still, for individual listeners, fMRI activation in the AC was more closely related to individual perception than to the physical stimulus level. Published: February 21, 2020https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229088 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0229088 Citation: Behler O, Uppenkamp S (2020) Activation in human auditory cortex in relation to the loudness and unpleasantness of low-frequency and infrasound stimuli. PLoS ONE 15(2): e0229088. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229088 1 ChristianBehler StefanUppenkamp article 2019 This dataset contains measuring data which are the result of investigations of the influence of a person on an airborne ultrasound field. These investigations have been conducted within the scope of the EMPIR project 15HLT03: “Ears II - Metrology for modern hearing assessment and protecting public health from emerging noise sources”. In the context of “Ears II”, they served gaining knowledge for occupational safety and health. Here, the aim was to investigate the influence of a worker on the airborne ultrasound field at his or her workplace. Therefore, a reference workstation was set up in the laboratory of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). The airborne ultrasound field of a typical industrial source of airborne ultrasound (an ultrasonic welding machine) was measured with a scanning microphone system with a high spatial resolution. 2 measurements have been performed with an artificial head in front of the ultrasonic welding machine at a worker’s sedentary position. Those 2 measurements have been performed at a vertical surface with dimensions 24 cm x 27 cm (width x height) in the same plane as the ear canal of the artificial head, one measurement each at the left and the right side of the artificial head. For comparison with an uninfluenced sound field, these measurements have been repeated at the same surfaces without the artificial head in front of the ultrasonic welding machine. The measuring data is the discrete Fourier transform of the squared signal voltage re 1 V^2 represented in the frequency domain, converted by fast Fourier transform, in the frequency range 0 – 100 kHz with a resolution bandwidth of 15.625 Hz. The data can be converted to sound pressure levels (SPL) using the given calibration values. DOI: 10.7795/720.20190606 https://oar.ptb.de/resources/show/10.7795/720.20190606 R.Schöneweiß ChristophKling ChristianKoch article Noise & health 21 (101), S. 173–182 2019 Auditory research and complaints about environmental noise indicate that there exists a significant, small subgroup within the population which is sensitive towards infra- and low-frequency or ultra- and high-frequency sounds (ILF/UHF). This paper reports on the development, factorization and validation of measures of sensitivity towards frequencies outside the common hearing range. Design: A multinational, cross-sectional survey study was run. Principal component analyses and exploratory factor analyses were conducted in a sample of 267 Europeans (from the UK, Slovenia, and Germany). Results: The factor analyses suggested that ILF versus UHF sensitivity constitute different factors, each characterized by sensory perception, stress-responsivity, and behavioral avoidance. A third factor comprising beliefs of dangerousness of ILF and UHF emerged. The factors explained 72% of the variance. The factor-solution was replicated separately for the English (n = 98) and German (n = 169) versions of the questionnaire (Slovenians and UK residents filled out the English version). Acceptable to excellent reliability was found. ILF and UHF sensitivity were moderately related to noise sensitivity in the normal hearing range, suggesting the new measures are not redundant. Correlations with psychiatric and somatic symptoms were small to moderate. ILF sensitivity correlated with neuroticism (small effect) and daytime sleepiness (moderate effect). ILF and UHF sensitivity were related to agreeableness (small effects). Overall, the novel ILF and UHF sensitivity scales seems to provide a solid tool for conducting further research on the role of sensitivity concerning adverse effects of ILF and UHF sound (e.g. health outcomes, annoyance ratings). The questionnaire consortium recommends using the new scales in combination with established measures of normal hearing range sensitivity. DOI: 10.4103/nah.NAH_46_19 http://www.noiseandhealth.org/article.asp?issn=1463-1741;year=2019;volume=21;issue=101;spage=173;epage=182;aulast=Ascone;type=0 LeonieAscone StefanUppenkamp ChristianBehler B.Lineton ElisaBurke ChristianKoch SimoneKühn GregorGeršak article Acta Acustica united with Acustica, S. Hirzel Verlag, 2019 , 105 , 869-874 2019 To gather more basic knowledge about both infrasound-perception mechanisms and the annoyance caused by infrasound, it is important to investigate the influence of the interaction between infrasound and sound at frequencies inside the common audio frequency range (audio sound) on the auditory perception. This paper gives a detailed description of a newly developed sound source system allowing simultaneous monaural stimulation of listeners with infrasound and audio-sound stimuli in psychoacoustic experiments. The sound source system covers a frequency range between 4 Hz and 6000 Hz. It can generate infrasound stimuli and audio-sound stimuli up to at least 123 dB SPL and 80 dB SPL, respectively, with inaudible harmonic distortions. Likewise, during simultaneous generation of high-level infrasound and audio sound, residual unwanted modulation frequencies remain imperceptible, owing to special design features. It can be concluded that the sound source system is suitable for investigating the auditory perception of infrasound accompanied by audio sound. https://doi.org/10.3813/AAA.919366 ElisaBurke JohannesHensel article International Journal of Audiology, Taylor & Francis, 2019 , 0 , 1-5 2019 Objective: To determine equivalent threshold sound pressure levels (ETSPL) for the RadioEar IP30 insert earphone for standardised short-term stimuli: IEC 60645-3 reference clicks and tonebursts in the frequency range from 250 Hz to 6 kHz, using the standardised peak-equivalent ETSPL procedure (peETSPL) and a new proposal based on the unweighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level LZeq. of the periodically repeated short-term stimuli (LZeqETSPL). Design: Determination of peETSPL and LZeqETSPL hearing threshold levels with otologically normal test subjects under the conditions given in ISO 389-9 using the standardised occluded-ear simulator according to IEC 60318-4. Study sample: The study was based on tests with 25 subjects. Results: The peETSPLs for the RadioEar IP30 insert earphone were compared with the respective reference threshold levels of the insert earphone ER-3A as standardised in the ISO 389 standards series. The LZeqETSPL approach was tested by estimating the LZeqETSPLs from the peRETSPLs and comparing the estimate with the direct results. Conclusions: Equivalent hearing threshold levels for standardised short-term stimuli for the RadioEar IP30 insert earphone were determined according to ISO 389-9 and given as both peETPSL and LZeqETSPL. The RMS-based LZeqETSPL approach turned out to be well applicable for the RadioEar IP30 insert earphone. https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2019.1682690 ThomasFedtke Marion U.Bug article Archives of Acoustics Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 313–319 (2020) 2019 Complaints and awareness about environmental low-frequency (LF) noise and infrasound (IS) have increased in recent years, but knowledge about perceptual mechanisms is limited. To evaluate the use of the brain’s frequency-following response (FFR) as an objective correlate of individual sensitivity to IS and LF, we recorded the FFR to monaurally presented IS (11 Hz) and LF (38 Hz) tones over a 30-phon range for 11 subjects. It was found that 11-Hz FFRs were often significant already at 0 phon, steeply grew to 20 phon, and saturated above. In contrast, the 38-Hz FFR growth was relatively shallow and continued to 60 phon. Furthermore, at the same loudness level (30 phon), the 11-Hz FFR strength was significantly larger (4.5 dB) than for 38 Hz, possibly reflecting a higher phase synchronization across the auditory pathway. Overall, unexpected inter-individual variability as well as qualitative differences between the measured FFR growth functions and typical loudness growth make interpretation of the FFR as objective correlate of IS and LF sensitivity difficult. DOI: 10.24425/aoa.2020.133151 1 TorstenMarquardt CarlosJurado article Journal of Low Frequency Noise, Vibration and Active Control 39 (1), 3 -16. DOI: 10.1177/1461348419833868. 2019 The use of airborne infrasound and other stimuli to elicit (cervical) vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) was studied to address the common proposition that infrasound may efficiently stimulate the vestibular system, an effect which may underlie the so-called wind-turbine syndrome. cVEMPs were measured for both ears of 15 normal-hearing subjects using three types of airborne sound stimulation: (1) 500-Hz tone bursts (transient); (2) 500-Hz sinusoidally amplitude-modulated tones at a 40-Hz rate (SAM); and (3) low-frequency and infrasound pure tones (LF/IS). The two former stimulation types served as control and allowed a systematic comparison with (3). It was found that SAM stimulation is effective and appears to be comparable to transient stimulation, as was previously observed in a yet small number of studies. Although the vestibular system is reported to be highly sensitive to low-frequency mechanical vibration, airborne LF/IS stimulation at ∼80–90-phon loudness levels did not elicit significant saccular vestibular responses. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461348419833868 CarlosJurado TorstenMarquardt article Biomedical Engineering/Biomedizinische Technik, De Gruyter, 2019 , 64 , 481-493 2019 As airborne ultrasound can be found in many technical applications and everyday situations, the question as to whether sounds at these frequencies can be heard by human beings or whether they present a risk to their hearing system is of great practical relevance. To objectively study these issues, the monaural hearing threshold in the frequency range from 14 to 24 kHz was determined for 26 test subjects between 19 and 33 years of age using pure tone audiometry. The hearing threshold values increased strongly with increasing frequency up to around 21 kHz, followed by a range with a smaller slope toward 24 kHz. The number of subjects who could respond positively to the threshold measurements decreased dramatically above 21 kHz. Brain activation was then measured by means of magnetoencephalography (MEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and with acoustic stimuli at the same frequencies, with sound pressure levels (SPLs) above and below the individual threshold. No auditory cortex activation was found for levels below the threshold. Although test subjects reported audible sounds above the threshold, no brain activity was identified in the above-threshold case under current experimental conditions except at the highest sensation level, which was presented at the lowest test frequency. https://doi.org/10.1515/bmt-2018-0048 1 RobertKühler SimoneKühn TilmannSander-Thömmes BerndIttermann AlbrechtIhlenfeld Rü.Brühl JohannesHensel MartinBauer MarkusWeichenberger ChristianKoch article Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Technics, 63 , 63 , S240 2018 Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Early detection of abnormal vascular morphologies like aneurysms in the abdominal (abdominal aortic aneurysm, AAA) or thoracic aorta (thoracic aortic aneurysm, TAA) are essential to prevent fatal events. The aim of this study is the development of a patient-specific simulation model to obtain statistical information about normal/abnormal pressure-flow conditions to improve the basic understanding and methods for the early detection of diseases. For this purpose, the numerical cardiovascular modeling tool SISCA was used, to generate a series of simulations by Monte-Carlo parameter variation. The considered variational scenario was built upon a control group of normal patients, deriving two pathological conditions for AAA and TAA with different severity and location. Therefore, the nominal diameters were enlarged between 200 % and 500 %, while the length of the aneurisms were modified within a range of 30 and 90 mm. Within each statistical set the convergence was tested by the bootstap method ensuring that within a set of 3500 runs a 2 % deviation error of the mean value of the blood pressure was obtained compared to a set of 10.000 runs.The parameter variation method allows the generation of disease specific data in the context of physiological/clinical findings and consequently the disease specific quantification of signal uncertainties and variances. DOI:10.1515/bmt-2018-6045 AnnaJodko-Wladziska TaoxiYang RüdigerBrühl PatriciaCotic Smole LutzTrahms VojkoJazbinšek Tilmann H.Sander article Acta Acustica united with Acustica, S. Hirzel Verlag, 2018 , 104 , 825-829 2018 Environmental infrasound is usually accompanied by low-frequency (LF) sounds. Considering that inner hair cell transduction equals half-wave rectification, activity of low-frequency auditory nerve fibres may be indistinguishable whether elicited by LF sound that is amplitude-modulated at an infrasonic rate, or LF sound that is superimposed onto infrasound that "biases" the basilar membrane position. We tested whether listeners are able to distinguish a 63-Hz carrier tone, amplitude modulated at 8 Hz, from a 63-Hz pure tone that was perceptually loudness-modulated by an 8-Hz biasing tone. Using a maximum-likelihood procedure, 12 participants first adjusted the intensity of the 8-Hz tone so that the perceived modulation of the pure tone matched a reference amplitude-modulated tone. Both stimuli types were then presented in random order, and participants had to identify presentations which contained the infrasound tone. About half the participants performed close to chance. The best had 81% correct. Experiments with a 125-Hz carrier tone gave similar results. Although performance may improve in a 2-interval discrimination task, this would not be representative of real listening conditions. Results suggest that slowly amplitude-modulated LF sounds may underlie complaints about environmental infrasound, where measured infrasound levels are well below sensation threshold. https://doi.org/10.3813/AAA.919232 © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Hirzel Verlag · EAA. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). TorstenMarquardt CarlosJurado article Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2018;75:A525. 2018 Introduction Although the possible negative health effects of exposure to high energetic ultrasonic noise were discussed since the adoption of the technology in the 1940s, no major research was conducted on this topic since the late 20th century and it only regained focus approximately 10 years ago. Nevertheless, guideline values and limits have been established for the exposure to ultrasonic noise in several countries. The Ears II project was brought to life under the umbrella of the EU’s EMPIR, to investigate the human perception of non-audible sound and its possible effects on human health. In this context the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Metrology Institute of Germany developed a measurement technique for assessing industrial ultrasonic noise. Methods Existing measurement techniques for audible sound were evaluated for their applicability to measuring ultrasound. Through evaluation of existing data a reference workplace was developed for laboratory measurements. These comprised simulated practical measurements and high spatial resolution scans of the sound field of an ultrasonic welding machine. Finally, a method was developed and tested in field measurements. Results The existing standards for assessment of the exposure to noise negate the applicability to ultrasonic noise. The same is true for the standards covering technical requirements for sound level metres. A novel technique was successfully developed and field measurements were carried out. Conclusion The existing standards are mostly insufficient for the assessment of the exposure to ultrasonic noise. Either applicability to ultrasound is ruled out a priori or the methods or technical specifications are insufficient for the measurement of ultrasound, because the frequency range of interest is not covered, for example. Based on an existing guideline a novel method was developed, which will, if necessary, be adapted to practical needs after examination of its practical applicability by evaluation of the field tests. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2018-ICOHabstracts.1487 1 ChristianUllisch-Nelken AndreaWolff R.Schöneweiß ChristophKling article The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 144, 2473 2018 This editorial introduces a Special Issue of the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, on “Ultrasound in Air.” In this Special Issue, one paper covers ways of categorizing the ultrasonic regimes, and three papers cover human effects. One of those three, plus five others, constitute the six papers that report on the measured outputs of commercial devices. Two cover calibration, and the final three papers cover novel applications. This editorial outlines the context in which these papers provide individual studies, including the development of technology and guidelines for safe exposure, and ending with an analysis of what is currently known about claims of sonic attacks on embassy staff in Cuba and China. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 144, 2473 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5063351 1 T. G.Leighton article The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 144, 2554–2564 2018 Recent work showing the presence of a new generation of ultrasound (US) sources in public places has reopened the debate about whether there are adverse effects of US on humans, and has identified weaknesses in standards and exposure guidelines. Systems that rely on very high-frequency sound (VHFS) and US include public-address voice-alarm (PAVA) systems (whose operational status is often monitored using tones at 20 kHz) and pest deterrents. In this study, sound pressure levels (SPLs) produced by 16 sources that were either publically available or installed in busy public spaces were measured. These sources were identified through a citizen science project, wherein members of the public were asked to provide smartphone recordings of VHFS/US sources. With measurements made in realistic listening positions, pest deterrents were found that produced levels of up to 100 dB SPL at 20 kHz, and a hand dryer was found to produce 84 dB SPL at 40 kHz. PAVA systems were found to emit lower levels of up to 76 dB SPL at 20 kHz. Pest deterrents measured breach recommended safe listening limits for public exposure for people who are nearby even for relatively short periods. VC 2018 Acoustical Society of America. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5063817 1 M.D.Fletcher S.D:Lloyd Jones P.R.White C.N.Dolder B.Lineton T. G.Leighton article The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 144, 2565 (2018) 2018 Acoustic radiation from three commercial pest deterrents and two hair dryers were measured in an anechoic chamber. The deterrents were chosen because the frequency range at which they emit the most energy is either in the very high-frequency sound band (11.2–17.8 kHz) or the ultrasound band (greater than 17.8 kHz). These are sources that may be heard by a subset of the general population, with the young typically having better high frequency sensitivity. A hairdryer reported to increase the frequency of the motor noise above the audible hearing range was compared with a standard hairdryer. The outputs of the deterrents are compared against six international regulations and guidelines for audible and ultrasound exposure. Multiple ambiguities in the application of these guidelines are discussed. These ambiguities could lead to a device being considered as in compliance despite unconventionally high levels. Even if a device measured here meets a guideline, actual exposures can exceed those taken here and may therefore breach guidelines if the listener is closer to the device or reflections increase the exposure level. VC 2018 Acoustical Society of America. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5064279 1 C.N.Dolder M.D.Fletcher S.D:Lloyd Jones B.Lineton S.R.Dennison M.Symmonds P.R.White T. G.Leighton article The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 144, 2490 (2018) 2018 It is proposed that the ultrasound frequency spectrum should be divided into three bands in order to facilitate a more rational assessment of its health effects. Whilst statement of the frequencies at the borders of these bands facilitates their definition, it is recognized that these observables vary continuously with frequency and consequently these border frequencies should not be used to rule out the possibility of a given effect occurring. The lowest band, US(A), lies between 17.8 and 500 kHz. In this band acoustic cavitation and its associated forces form the dominant process resulting in biological effects in liquids and soft tissues, whereas health effects from airborne ultrasound have been reported but are far less researched. In the middle band, US(B), between 500 kHz and 100 MHz, temperature rise in tissues becomes the most important biological effect of exposure. The highest band, US(C), covers frequencies above 100 MHz, for which the radiation force becomes an increasingly important biophysical mechanism. A justification for the selection of 17.8 kHz in preference to any other threshold for the lower frequency limit for ultrasound is given. 1 F.Duck T. G.Leighton article The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 144(4), 2511-2520 2018 Various adverse symptoms resulting from exposure to very high-frequency sound (VHFS) and ultrasound (US) have previously been reported. This study aimed to establish whether these symptoms are experienced under controlled laboratory conditions and are specific to VHFS/US. To do this, participants were exposed to VHFS/US (at frequencies between 13.5 and 20 kHz and sound pressure levels between 82 and 92 dB) and to a 1 kHz reference stimulus, both at 25 dB above their hearing threshold. The VHFS/US and reference stimuli were presented 4 times, each time for 3 min, during which participants performed a sustained attention task, rated their symptom severity, and had their galvanic skin response (GSR) measured to assess their level of anxiety. Prior to exposure, participants were assigned either to a symptomatic or an asymptomatic group, based on their prior history of symptoms that they attributed to VHFS/US. In both groups, overall discomfort ratings were higher in the VHFS/US condition than the reference condition. In the symptomatic group only, difficulty concentrating and annoyance were also rated higher in the VHFS/US than the reference condition. No difference between the two stimulus conditions was seen in performance on the attention task or on average GSRs for either group. VC 2018 Acoustical Society of America. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5063819 1 M.D.Fletcher S.D:Lloyd Jones B.Lineton P.R.White C.N.Dolder T. G.Leighton B.Lineton inbook Acta Acustica Untied with Acustica, Issue 104/5, p.733-736 2018 Since its introduction in the late first half of the twentieth century, the use of ultrasonic appliances for various industrial applications has increased. Along with this growth in dissemination, the exposure of workers to airborne ultrasound also increased. In this paper we present the analysis of two data sets comprising 131 measurements at ultrasound associated workplaces in Germany. The data sets were individually acquired by the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (IFA) and by the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the energy, textile, electrical and media products sectors (BG ETEM). The data were analysed for abundance of certain machine categories and for transgression of threshold values according to German national guidelines. Machine categories were formed by combining machine type and working frequency. The results show that threshold transgressions occur at a considerable amount of workplaces at ultrasonic welding machines of certain frequencies. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Hirzel Verlag · DOI: 10.3813/AAA.919212 EAA. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). S. Hirzel Verlag 10.3813/AAA.919212 ChristianUllisch-Nelken AndreaWolff HeikoKusserow article PLOS ONE 2017 4 12 19 In the present study, the brain's response towards near- and supra-threshold infrasound (IS) stimulation (sound frequency < 20 Hz) was investigated under resting-state fMRI conditions. The study involved two consecutive sessions. In the first session, 14 healthy participants underwent a hearing threshold-as well as a categorical loudness scaling measurement in which the individual loudness perception for IS was assessed across different sound pressure levels (SPL). In the second session, these participants underwent three resting-state acquisitions, one without auditory stimulation (no-tone), one with a monaurally presented 12-Hz IS tone (near-threshold) and one with a similar tone above the individual hearing threshold corresponding to a 'medium loud' hearing sensation (supra-threshold). Data analysis mainly focused on local connectivity measures by means of regional homogeneity (ReHo), but also involved independent component analysis (ICA) to investigate inter-regional connectivity. ReHo analysis revealed significantly higher local connectivity in right superior temporal gyrus (STG) adjacent to primary auditory cortex, in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and, when allowing smaller cluster sizes, also in the right amygdala (rAmyg) during the near-threshold, compared to both the supra-threshold and the no-tone condition. Additional independent component analysis (ICA) revealed large-scale changes of functional connectivity, reflected in a stronger activation of the right amygdala (rAmyg) in the opposite contrast (no-tone > near-threshold) as well as the right superior frontal gyrus (rSFG) during the near-threshold condition. In summary, this study is the first to demonstrate that infrasound near the hearing threshold may induce changes of neural activity across several brain regions, some of which are known to be involved in auditory processing, while others are regarded as keyplayers in emotional and autonomic control. These findings thus allow us to speculate on how continuous exposure to (sub-)liminal IS could exert a pathogenic influence on the organism, yet further (especially longitudinal) studies are required in order to substantialize these findings. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28403175 MarkusWeichenberger ChristianKoch Jü.Gallinat BerndIttermann AlbrechtIhlenfeld CGForlim JohannesHensel RobertKühler MartinBauer SimoneKühn article 12 th ICBEN Congress on noise as a public health problem, 2017 2017 In our daily lives, many sources emit infrasound due to their functions or as a side effect. At the other end of the hearing frequency range, airborne ultrasound is applied in many technical and medical processes and has also increasingly moved into everyday life. There are numerous indicators that sound at these frequencies can be perceived and can influence human beings. However, the precise mechanisms of this perception are unknown at present and this lack of understanding is reflected by the unsatisfactory status of the existing regulations and standards. In this paper, the current status of measurement capabilities, the knowledge about perception mechanisms, and the assessment of infrasound and airborne ultrasound are described. To contribute to the question of whether these sounds may be of any risk to the hearing system, the results of several studies using audiological methods and neuroimaging are presented. They were implemented within an EU-funded international project in order to improve the objective understanding of the auditory perception of infrasound and airborne ultrasound in humans. http://www.icben.org/2017/ICBEN%202017%20Papers/Keynote02_Koch_4163.pdf ChristianKoch M.(ED.)Brink article 12 th ICBEN Congress on noise as a public health problem, 2017 2017 Within the framework of the European project EMPIR 15HLT03 "Ears II" this study aims at a better understanding of the human response to infrasound. The purpose of this study is to examine which role the combination of infrasound (< 20 Hz) and sound in the audio frequency range (between 20 Hz and 20 kHz) plays for the perception of infrasound. One hypothesis to be validated is that the interaction between infrasound and audio-frequency sound may explain the perceptibility of infrasound. Another aim is to investigate whether the presence of infrasound influences the hearing threshold of audio frequency sound. In order to test these hypotheses detection threshold measurements were performed separately for infrasound and audio-frequency sound stimuli. Then thresholds were measured for infrasound stimuli in the presence of audio-frequency sound and for audio-frequency sound stimuli in the presence of infrasound. The measurement setup consisted of an infrasound source and an audio-frequency sound source, each coupled by a sound tube to the same eartip that was used for monaural presentation of the acoustic stimuli. http://www.icben.org/2017/ICBEN 2017 Papers/SubjectArea10_Burke_1002_3574.pdf ElisaBurke JohannesHensel ThomasFedtke M.(ED.)Brink article Proc. R. Soc. A 473: 20160828. 2017 T. G.Leighton article PROCEEDINGS of the 22nd International Congress on Acoustics 2016 9 Airborne ultrasound is applied in many technical and medical processes and has increasingly moved into daily life. Because of a potential exposure of humans the question whether sound at these frequencies can be heard and whether these sounds can be of any risk for the hearing system or for wellbeing and health of an individual in general, is of great practical relevance. To study these issues audiological methods and neuroimaging were combined in order to obtain an objective rationale of the auditory perception of airborne ultrasound in humans. In a first step the monaural pure-tone hearing threshold for 26 young test subjects (19 – 33 years) in the frequency range from 14 to 24 kHz was determined. The hearing threshold values rose steeply with increasing frequency up to around 21 kHz followed by a range with smaller slope towards 24 kHz. In a next step neuroimaging techniques were applied to find brain activation following the stimulation by ultrasound between 20 and 24 kHz. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with sound pressure levels slightly above and below individual threshold was used in experiments with the same test persons as in the audiological measurements. Although test subjects reported audible sensation no brain activation could be identified in the above-threshold case except for the lowest test frequency at 14 kHz. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was employed as an alternative method with the same test person group. Brain activation was measured, but again no auditory cortex activation was found above 14 kHz. RobertKühler MarkusWeichenberger MartinBauer SimoneKühn TilmannSander-Thömmes AlbrechtIhlenfeld BerndIttermann JohannesHensel ChristianKoch article The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 140, 806 2016 An innovative family of ear simulators has been conceived for the calibration and traceability of audiometric equipment. Each device within the family has been designed for a particular key age group, covering neonates through to adults. The age-specific ear simulators are intended to improve the quality of hearing assessment measurements for all test subject age groups, and will be proposed as the next generation of standardised ear simulators for audiometric applications. The family of ear simulators shares a common design and modeling approach, and the first prototype devices for neonatal applications have been manufactured. The objectives of this study were to develop calibration methods, verify conformance to the design goals, demonstrate that the device is capable of being calibrated reliably, and show that its performance is ultimately suitable for international standardisation and eventual adoption into clinical practices. Four national measurement institutes took part in a round-robin calibration comparison and an analysis of the results showed that these objectives were achieved. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 140, 806 (2016); https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4960517 RichardBarham DominiqueRodrigues SalvadorBarrera Figueroa ErlingSandermann Olsen EnverSadikoğlu BakiKaraböce article Proc. Roy. Soc. A 2016 472(2185) 10.1098/rspa.2015.0624 T. G.Leighton article Advanced Mechatronics Solutions 2016 153-158 RobertKühler JohannesHensel T.Palko TilmannSander-Thömmes article Proceedings of Internoise 2015 2015 250 (4) 3031-3039 DominiqueRodrigues ThomasLavergne ErlingSandermann Olsen RichardBarham ThomasFedtke J.-N.Durocher article Proccedings of the ISMRM 2015 - International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 2015 MarkusWeichenberger SimoneKühn BerndIttermann ChristianKoch JohannesHensel AlbrechtIhlenfeld RobertKühler MartinBauer Rü.Brühl TilmannSander-Thömmes article Proceedings of Congress on Sound and Vibration, ICSV 22 2015 ChristophKling ChristianKoch RobertKühler article Congress on Sound and Vibration, ICSV 22 2015 MartinBauer TilmannSander-Thömmes AlbrechtIhlenfeld SimoneKühn RobertKühler ChristianKoch article Euronoise 2015 2015 2577-2582 RobertKühler JohannesHensel ChristianKoch MartinBauer TilmannSander-Thömmes article Acta Acustica united with Acustica 2015 101 1007-1015 1 DominiqueRodrigues ThomasLavergne E. 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Technik 2015 60 135-145 MartinBauer TilmannSander-Thömmes article Hearing research 2015 328 87-93 MarkusWeichenberger TilmannSander-Thömmes ChristianKoch Jü.Gallinat BerndIttermann AlbrechtIhlenfeld Rü.Brühl JohannesHensel MartinBauer RobertKühler SimoneKühn article J Acoust Soc Am 2015 137(4) 1 RobertKühler ThomasFedtke JohannesHensel article Biomagnetism Conference (Biomag) 2014 55 MartinBauer RobertKühler JohannesHensel ChristophKling ChristianKoch TilmannSander-Thömmes article Biomed Tech 2013 58 10.1515/bmt-2013-4135 MartinBauer B.Piper RobertKühler RichardBarham JohannesHensel ChristophKling ChristianKoch TilmannSander-Thömmes article Proceedings of Internoise 2013 2013 3898 SalvadorBarrera Figueroa AntoniTorras Rosell FinnJacobsen article Proceedings of Internoise 2013 2013 vol5 3876 DominiqueRodrigues ThomasLavergne ThomasFedtke ErlingSandermann Olsen RichardBarham J.-N.Durocher article Proceedings of Internoise 2013 2013 vol 5 3882 ThomasLavergne DominiqueRodrigues VeraNeimanns ErlingSandermann Olsen RichardBarham article Proceedings of the 20th International Congress on Sound and Vibration 2013 (ICSV20) 2013 3215-3220 RichardBarham C.Baker B.Piper TilmannSander-Thömmes article J Acoust Soc Am 2013 134(5) 3730-3738 1 TorstenMarquardt JohannesHensel article Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology 2007 93(1-3) 3-83 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2006.07.026 T. G.Leighton article The dataset contains single measurements at different public sites and workplaces in Europe. The data has been used or obtained in the context of the project 15HLT03 “EarsII” from the EMPIR-programme. For each measurement metadata is available. This includes the measurement circumstances and involved machinery, a description of the measurement location and noise reduction measures, the microphone position during measurement, and the measurement procedure used to obtain the measurement data. A detailed description of all the quantities contained in the dataset is documented in the accompanying pdf-file. DOI:10.5281/zenodo.3163216 AndreaWolff ChristianUllisch-Nelken R.Schöneweiß ChristophKling HeikoKusserow M.D.Fletcher article This dataset contains calibration data of the free-field sensitivity of four electro-acoustic measuring chains at 0° incidence angle in the frequency range 0.25 kHz to 100 kHz. Each of the four channels consisted of a ¼'' externally polarized free-field measurement microphone of the condenser type GRAS 40 BF, a ¼'' preamplifier GRAS 26AC, a power module GRAS 12AQ and an FFT analyzer Ono Sokki CF-9400. The calibration data was acquired in the laboratory of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3552412 R.Schöneweiß ChristophKling ChristianKoch