Custom Target Rules for

the OTOsuite PMM Module

Reference Manual
Doc. No. 7-50-1550-EN/00

0459
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Copyright© 2014, GN Otometrics A/S
Published in Denmark byGN Otometrics A/S, Denmark
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publication. GN Otometrics A/Sreserves the right to make changes at any time without notice.
Versionrelease date
2014-01-29
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Please contact your supplier.

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Table of Contents

1 Purpose of custom target rules 4

2 Supported calculations 4

3 Using a custom target rule in OTOsuite 5

4 Setting up the spreadsheet 5

5 Workflow in OTOsuite 10

6 Debugging your custom target rule 11

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1 Purpose of custom target rules

In the OTOsuite PMM module, you can choose between several validated target rules to use for fitting verification (for
example, DSL4, DSL5, NAL1 and NAL2).
If you want to apply your own target rule or your own predicted values for real ear unaided gain (REUG) or real ear to
coupler difference (RECD), you can define your own calculations in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and add it to OTOsuite.

2 Supported calculations
First you must decide which of the following calculations you want to support (at least one):
• Insertion gain (in real ear and coupler) – IG
• Aided gain (in real ear and coupler) – AG
• Aided response (in real ear and coupler) – AR
• Predicted real ear unaided gain - REUG
• Predicted real ear to coupler difference – RECD
Then you must define your algorithms for each of the supported targets and predicted values above.
The input parameters available can be found on the Fitting Details worksheet in the Custom Target Rule spreadsheet and
will reflect the settings available in the Fitting Details dialog in OTOsuite.

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3 Using a custom target rule in OTOsuite

To enable the custom target rule in OTOsuite, you must create an Excel spreadsheet from the template in the Support
folder on your OTOsuite installation media (D:\Support\TargetRules\TargetRule.OTOtargetCalc.xlt).
When you have setup the spreadsheet and added the needed calculations you must save this file as an Excel spreadsheet
in the following folder: <INSTALLDIR>\CustomTargetRules\<filename>.OTOtargetCalc.xls. (E.g.: C:\Program Files\Oto-
suite\CustomTargetRules\MyTargetRule.OTOtargetCalc.xls)

Note • Only one spreadsheet is allowed. Placing more spreadsheets in the same folder will yield an error when
selecting the custom target in OTOsuite.

Sample spreadsheet
In the support folder of your installation media, you can also find a sample spreadsheet that implements a basic "half gain"
rule. Copy this file to the location above to see how it works. (D:\Support\TargetRules\Custom target rule sample.OTOtar-
getCalc.xls).
As soon as the spreadsheet is saved in the correct folder, you can select the Custom target rule from the Fitting Details
dialog in OTOsuite.

3.1 Deployment to other computers

If you want to use the custom target rule on more computers, each computer must have a version of Microsoft Excel
installed that supports the formulas used in your spreadsheet. On each computer, the spreadsheet must be copied to the
correct folder, as described above.

4 Setting up the spreadsheet

The Custom Target Rule spreadsheet has several preconfigured worksheets available, which are described in the fol-
lowing. You can add more worksheets for detailed calculations. Comments in the cells give you guidance regarding the

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content and format of each cell.

Cells that must contain input for OTOsuite have a white or yellow background.
OTOsuite expects cells to retain their absolute positions on worksheets with the exact names as defined in the template.
All empty cells can be used for any purpose and will be ignored by OTOsuite.

4.1 Target Rule Properties worksheet [data to OTOsuite]

This sheet is information to OTOsuite about the custom target rule and some of the values will be saved along with the tar-
get curve in OTOsuite. You must fill in all highlighted cells on this sheet.

The Can Calculate… and Can Predict… fields define which output values OTOsuite can read from the spreadsheet.
Mouse over the label cells to read the detailed descriptions of each property, and click in the highlighted cells to see the
valid input values.
The Undefined Value is your definition of values that are empty (not defined). Undefined values written by OTOsuite to
the spreadsheet will have this value. Values read by OTOsuite that have this value will be interpreted as undefined.

4.2 Fitting Details worksheet [data from OTOsuite]

The fitting details available in the spreadsheet are all the properties you can set up from the Fitting Details dialog in OTO-
suite after having selected the Custom target rule.

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OTOsuite will fill in the cells with numbers. In your algorithms, you can interpret the numbers as described in the com-
ments for each cell.

4.3 Audiogram worksheet [data from OTOsuite]

The Audiogram worksheet will contain all the audiogram data available from OTOsuite.
Each audiogram type consists of 24 values (linearly interpolated and extrapolated in the logarithmic frequency domain
from the available audiogram points in OTOsuite) and 24 status points.
Each status point tells if the point is a true measured/entered point or interpolated/extrapolated and whether it is a No
Response point.
OTOsuite will call the spreadsheet for target calculations once for each ear but the spreadsheet will always have audi-
ogram data for both ears available.

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4.4 Applied Values worksheet [data from OTOsuite]

The Applied Values worksheet contains information on the applied REUG and RECD as selected in the Fitting Details dia-
log. (These values can be measured or predicted by any target rule with that capability.)
The overall RMS level and the spectrum of the presented signal (the absolute SPL values measured at the probe reference
microphone) are also available.
The spectrum for broadband signals is the Long Term Average Speech Spectrum (LTASS) for the presented signal. The over-
all RMS level for broadband is also calculated using the LTASS curve, and is displayed in the Signal Level field.
The spectrum for Tone Sweep is a peak spectrum. During a measurement, the tones are presented one by one and the
level in the spectrum is the level at which the tones are presented. The overall RMS level will correspond to the level for
each tone.

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4.5 Target Curve worksheet [data to OTOsuite]

The Target Curve worksheet is the place where OTOsuite reads the target curves from a single calculation.
You must fill in each cell of the supported targets with formulas or references to cells with formulas to provide the cor-
responding values. Set the Can Calculate... properties accordingly in the Target Rule Properties worksheet.
You do not need to calculate all values. The points that you do not want to calculate can contain the value for
UndefinedValue that you have specified in the Target Rule Properties worksheet. OTOsuite will interpolate undefined
points to fill an entire curve in 3rd octave resolution (21 points). Therefore, you might choose to only calculate points on
audiometric frequencies.

If you leave a cell empty, this point will not be extrapolated and will not be shown in OTOsuite. You can use this if you
want a curve that does not cover the full frequency range.

4.6 Predicted Values worksheet [data to OTOsuite]

The Predicted Values worksheet can be used to predict average REUG and RECD values for OTOsuite. If you have set the
Can Predict REUG and Can Predict RECD properties in the Target Rule Properties worksheet, you must provide predicted
values, preferably age dependent. All target rules can then use the predicted values from this Custom Target rule.

You do not need to calculate all values. The values that you do not want to calculate must contain the value for
UndefinedValue that you specified in the Target Rule Propererties worksheet. Undefined values will be interpolated by
OTOsuite.

Note • The predicted RECD is only RECD for verification. The RECD for assessment will be predicted by DSL5 in all
cases when using the Custom Target rule.

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4.7 Calc1 worksheet

In the Calc1 and Calc2 worksheet you can place any intermediate calculations of your choice.

You can use any formula available in the version of Excel you want to use for your calculations.
Refer to the Custom target rule sample.OTOtargetCalc.xls for specific examples of calculations and references. (See Using
a custom target rule in OTOsuite ► 5.)

5 Workflow in OTOsuite
When you have selected Custom in the Target Rule field and you make a measurement or change the fitting details or the
audiogram, then OTOsuite will call the spreadsheet a number of times for each target needed (REIG, REAG, REAR, Pre-
dicted REUG or Predicted RECD), and for one ear at a time.
On each call, the data, fitting details and measurement settings (e.g. Signal Level and Used REUG) will be copied to the
spreadsheet according to the desired target.
Below is a description of a typical workflow to illustrate how OTOsuite applies the custom target rule.
1. Create or load an audiogram.
2. Open PMM in OTOsuite and open the Fitting Details dialog from Options or with F10.
3. In the Target Rule field, select Custom (only visible if there is a valid Excel spreadsheet in the right location).
4. Select the Applied REUG and Applied RECD (for verification). The selected REUG/RECD will be supplied to the spread-
sheet upon calculation. This means that you can choose to let DSL or NAL provide the predicted REUG and RECD for
your spreadsheet. If your spreadsheet supports Predicted REUG and/or Predicted RECD, then Predicted (Custom) will
be the default choice. This means that your spreadsheet will get its own predicted values from OTOsuite. (OTOsuite
will retrieve the values from the Predicted Values worksheet and then feed the values to the Applied Values work-
sheet.)

Note • This is the way to use your own data. Do not reference your own predicted values directly in the
spreadsheet.

5. When you start a measurement from the control panel, the target curve will be calculated. This is done in the fol-
lowing sequence:
A. OTOsuite writes current audiogram data, fitting details and measurement settings to the spreadsheet.

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The measurement settings include the signal type and signal level that have been set up for the measurement but-
ton you pressed.
B. OTOsuite makes the spreadsheet calculate all cells in all worksheets.
C. OTOsuite reads the target curves provided by the spreadsheet (according to the CanPredictREIG, CanPredictREAG,
CanPredictREAR properties on the Target Rule Properties worksheet)
D. OTOsuite calculates the remaining target curves not provided by the spreadsheet (e.g. REIG = REAG – REUG,
REAG = REIG + REUG and REAR = REAG + signal spectrum)
When you mouse over a measurement button, or if you have selected the Preview Target Curves overlay, the steps
above will also be executed.
6. The HL/SPL conversion in OTOsuite will use the Applied REUG and Applied RECD selected in the Fitting Details. This
means that whatever target rule you have selected, the spreadsheet can be asked to supply Predicted REUG, but not
the predicted RECD for Assessment because this value is not supported by custom target rules in OTOsuite (the spread-
sheet can only supply RECD for verification).

6 Debugging your custom target rule

If you have created a custom target rule that does not behave as expected, you can use the Save target rule state button
in the Fitting Details dialog to take a snapshot of the MyTargetRule.OTOtargetCalc.xls file.
The snapshot will be saved in the root folder of your C-drive. In the snapshot, you can see all values that OTOsuite made
available for the latest calculation of the custom target curves.

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