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Amplification Lab

The Amplification Lab serves both as a teaching and research lab.

Lab Director:

Dr. Rachel Caissie

Location:

The Amplification Lab is located on the 2nd floor of the Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building (room #2C50).

Description:

The Amplification Lab is fully equipped with a sound booth, audiometer, three hearing aid analyzers (Verifit system, Fonix 8000, and Siemens Unity2), G.R.A.S., Noah and various hearing aid manufacturers' programming software.

Teaching and clinical activities

  • The Amplification Lab houses the Â鶹´«Ã½ Hearing Aid Assistance Program (DHAAP). Through this program, donated hearing aids are given to low-income individuals who are not able to afford new hearing aids. The program provides audiology students with hands-on clinical experiences with adult hearing aid fitting, post-fitting follow-ups, and audiological rehabilitation.
    DHAAP members: Dr. Rachel Caissie (program director), Dr. Steve Aiken (SHCD), Greg Noel, AuD (NSHSC), Janine Verge, AuD (NSHSC), Brenda Dorton (), and two audiology student program assistants.
  • The Amplification Lab supports three courses in amplification and audiological rehabilitation, where second and third year audiology students can gain hands-on experience is all aspects of hearing aid fitting and adult audiological rehabilitation.

Research interests

Audiological rehabilitation in older adults, including conversation-based intervention, conversation repair strategies, and clear speech for partners of adults with hearing loss. Auditory training for heart auscultation (in collaboration with , Cardiologist, Faculty of Medicine).

Current Funded Research:

“A comparison of wireless CROS hearing aids and bone anchored hearing devices for people with single-sided deafnessâ€
Funding: Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation
Co-Principal Investigators: Jenny Finbow & Rachel Caissie
Co-Investigators: (Faculty of Medicine), Dr. Steve Aiken (SHCD), Mark Gulliver and Janine Verge (audiologists, NSHSC)

Prospective Master’s and PhD students:

We encourage prospective students seeking research supervision to contact us directly to discuss possible topics for research supervision.