The
AEROPHONE makes accurate documentation of vocal function easy. It can
provide either records for research and ongoing treatment or instant
bio-feedback to the patient.
The AEROPHONE comes with two flowheads, one for peakflow and vital
capacity measurements, and one for measurement of airflow during
phonation. The AEROPHONE is extremely quick and easy to set up. The
software and control functions operate on a standard PC with sound board
and all results are displayed in clearly visible formats on the monitor screen, in speadsheet and on printouts.
Windows operating systems are used (Win98, WinME, Win2000, WinXP and Vista.)
The AEROPHONE provides calibrated recordings of:
| Clinical set-up with the hand-held AERORHONE II and a LapTop used for registration. |
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Sound pressure level, |
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Air pressure, and |
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Airflow. |
Based on these recordings the instrument computes 32 valuable parameters describing the voice function and the respiratory function. The most important parameters are shown in color XT plots, XY plots or as regression lines. Facility for registration of Voice Range Profiles (Phonetogrammes) of song with belonging airflow registration is presented in colors.
Keeping Records:
The AEROPHONE meets your demands for treatment documentation. Facilities for acquiring, storing and recalling information needed during extended treatment, for reports or research projects are built in. A maximum of 30 sessions with the same patient may be stored in the original patient file or stored in separate files, thus increasing flexibility. Built in prompts make it easy to register patient data with automatic facilities for storing the results of each measurement. Space is provided for recording patient's history before each session, and space is available for any comments made after each session. The programme has its own text editor. The recording time is limited to 300 seconds, and if more than 300 seconds are recorded only the last 300 seconds are stored. Once a measurement has been made, you may mark up reference points. You may zoom in out out both horizontally and vertically to inspect any part of the traces, and it is possible to depict and calculate average values for a number of measurements.
Airflow:
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Peak airflow. |
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Forced 1 second exspiration. |
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Vital capacity. |
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Volume of any air flow. |
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Duration of air flow. |
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Mean Airflow rate. |
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Phonation quotient. |
Air pressure:
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Oral air pressure. |
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Pharyngeal air pressure. |
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Subglottal air pressure. |
Sound parameters:
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Maximum sound pressure level. |
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Minimum sound pressure level. |
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Average sound pressure level. |
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Phonation time (used for mean flow rate calculation). |
Glottal parameters:
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Aerodynamic input power. |
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Aerodynamic output power. |
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Glottal resistance. |
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Glottal efficiency. |
Pitch calculations:
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Calculations made on data recorded with the previous DOS model of the programme: |
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Average pitch. |
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Sigma-pitch values. |
Rate of movements (for patients with pareses):
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Ab-/adduction rate of glottis. |
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Ab-/adduction rate of velum. |
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Rate of lip closures. |
The following relations may be shown graphically for easy reference:
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Sound pressure level versus air pressure. |
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Airflow versus air pressure. |
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Sound pressure level versus airflow. |
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Sound pressure level versus pitch. |
Regression lines:
If several calculations are made using the same recording, regression lines may be drawn to show the dependency visually. If you are using the AEROPHONE for research purposes, all terms and formulas are documented in the operating manual and the help file for easy reference.
If several calculations are made using the same recording, regression lines may be drawn to show the dependency visually. If you are using the AEROPHONE for research purposes, all terms and formulas are documented in the operating manual and the help file for easy reference.
Phonetogramme:
A Phonetogramme (Voice Range Profile or Stimmfeltmessung) is a graphic presentation of the SPL as function of the pitch (musical notes in the range 65 to 2000 Hz). If the face mask is used when recording a phonetogramme, then the airflow can be registrered also. The recording of SPL is made as two series of tones selected from the keyboard one after another. It is important to pres the note on the keyboard before each tone is recorded, as the Aerophone does not measure the frequency, only the SPL is measured. The pitch curve is reproduced from the keyboard notes. Therefore, the operator must also be sure that the subject sings the correct notes. In replay mode the graphic representation of a normal phonetogramme display will show up. When moving the cursor over the phonetogramme, pitch, SPL and airflow values are shown for the recorded tones, and if the left mouse key is pressed the tones can be heard, too. In the phonetogramme the amount of airflow is represented by various colors. A common measure used to compare phonetogrammes is the Area of the phonatory range. It is measured as dB x semitones.
The illustration below shows a typical monitor output of a phonetogramme. A Phonetogramme (Voice Range Profile or Stimmfeltmessung) is a graphic presentation of the SPL as function of the pitch (musical notes in the range 65 to 2000 Hz). If the face mask is used when recording a phonetogramme, then the airflow can be registrered also. The recording of SPL is made as two series of tones selected from the keyboard one after another. It is important to pres the note on the keyboard before each tone is recorded, as the Aerophone does not measure the frequency, only the SPL is measured. The pitch curve is reproduced from the keyboard notes. Therefore, the operator must also be sure that the subject sings the correct notes. In replay mode the graphic representation of a normal phonetogramme display will show up. When moving the cursor over the phonetogramme, pitch, SPL and airflow values are shown for the recorded tones, and if the left mouse key is pressed the tones can be heard, too. In the phonetogramme the amount of airflow is represented by various colors. A common measure used to compare phonetogrammes is the Area of the phonatory range. It is measured as dB x semitones.
Calibrated measurements:
The AEROPHONE provides calibrated measurements, which are essential in extended treatment or for research purposes. The microphone is factory calibrated using a high-quality "Integrating Precision Sound Level Meter" The air pressure transducer is also factory calibrated and needs no further adjustment. The flow heads may require recalibration during use should anything be deposited on the gauze. A one litre calibration syringe is enclosed for this purpose. There is a built-in correction for changes in viscosity of air with ambient temperature change, and a thermometer is supplied in the package for measurement of the temperature during calibration. Calibration factors are stored in a set-up file, and used for automatic corrections of each measurement. However, should the calibration factors be unavailable, it is still possible to perform uncalibrated measurements based on the factory-set default values.
The AEROPHONE provides calibrated measurements, which are essential in extended treatment or for research purposes. The microphone is factory calibrated using a high-quality "Integrating Precision Sound Level Meter" The air pressure transducer is also factory calibrated and needs no further adjustment. The flow heads may require recalibration during use should anything be deposited on the gauze. A one litre calibration syringe is enclosed for this purpose. There is a built-in correction for changes in viscosity of air with ambient temperature change, and a thermometer is supplied in the package for measurement of the temperature during calibration. Calibration factors are stored in a set-up file, and used for automatic corrections of each measurement. However, should the calibration factors be unavailable, it is still possible to perform uncalibrated measurements based on the factory-set default values.
Cleaning:
When using the AEROPHONE for phonation or flow measurements, the patient's lips are sealed around a disposable cardboard tube. 126 disposable tubes are supplied with the instrument. For air pressure measurements disposable silicone tubes are supplied. The tubes are designed to resist blockage with saliva, therefore, the mask is supplied with a rubber bulb for blowing the tube clear whilst it is inserted in the patients vocal tract. Thus, a range of measurements can be made with the same patient, without replacing the tube.
The masks are based on standard anaesthesia masks, and may be sterilized using gas or vapor sterilizers, wet or dry heat. Although the flowheads do not touch the patient directly, they should be washed and wet sterilized.
When using the AEROPHONE for phonation or flow measurements, the patient's lips are sealed around a disposable cardboard tube. 126 disposable tubes are supplied with the instrument. For air pressure measurements disposable silicone tubes are supplied. The tubes are designed to resist blockage with saliva, therefore, the mask is supplied with a rubber bulb for blowing the tube clear whilst it is inserted in the patients vocal tract. Thus, a range of measurements can be made with the same patient, without replacing the tube.
The masks are based on standard anaesthesia masks, and may be sterilized using gas or vapor sterilizers, wet or dry heat. Although the flowheads do not touch the patient directly, they should be washed and wet sterilized.
Help files: class="Overskrift">
The Ap2 programme applies a help system that gives you relevant help right on the spot where you need it. Most help windows have a long button at the top carrying a short description of its intended use. A tiny red triangle in the top right corner of this button indicates that clicking the button will open the HELP window. The text in the HELP window will always be relevant to actions you can take at that point in the program. In many cases if you let the HELP window stay open it will automatically update its content as you navigate through the program.
The Ap2 programme applies a help system that gives you relevant help right on the spot where you need it. Most help windows have a long button at the top carrying a short description of its intended use. A tiny red triangle in the top right corner of this button indicates that clicking the button will open the HELP window. The text in the HELP window will always be relevant to actions you can take at that point in the program. In many cases if you let the HELP window stay open it will automatically update its content as you navigate through the program.
Compact
size:
The AEROPHONE with all its accessories comes packed in a suitcase (masks for adults and children, disposable tubes, a large and a small flowhead, calibration syringe and thermometer, software, handle, tubes, etc.) A personal computer with soundboard and laudspeakers is required separately. As the AEROPHONE is highly portable and can be used with a wide range of laptops, it can be used in any clinical situation in and outside the clinic.
The whole electronic assembly is situated in a small box below the flow head, and the power is drawn directly from the serial port of the PC, so the instrument may be easily hand-held.
The AEROPHONE with all its accessories comes packed in a suitcase (masks for adults and children, disposable tubes, a large and a small flowhead, calibration syringe and thermometer, software, handle, tubes, etc.) A personal computer with soundboard and laudspeakers is required separately. As the AEROPHONE is highly portable and can be used with a wide range of laptops, it can be used in any clinical situation in and outside the clinic.
The whole electronic assembly is situated in a small box below the flow head, and the power is drawn directly from the serial port of the PC, so the instrument may be easily hand-held.
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Outputs:
The Aerophone may use any of the printers available under Windows. Graphical and alpha-numerical printouts can be made in three different sizes. Data can be exported in the form of comma-separated spreadsheets. The illustration below shows a typical output grabbed from the PC monitor.  |
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Demoprogramme:
The Aerophone programme for Windows which can be downloaded (see below) is a complete programme, but with limited functionality untill a licence activates the programme. The functionality is reduced in such a way that it is not possible to make hard-copies of the results, and it is only possible to store results in a file called NOLICENCE. If you after the evaluation want to buy the programme, please, contact F-J Electronics on email (mail@F-JElectronics.dk) and ask for a licence. In order to get a valid license which can open your software to full functionality, it is necessary to email the serial number (written on the black hardware box) to us, and we will by return email supply a licence code for the Aerophone software which can work together with your hardware. An update costs 720 Euros and includes a manual and an optional microphone holder for the microphone range 70-120 dB (this range can only be used in the Windows version of the software). Printed manual, microphone holder, CD with a copy of the programme and demofiles and a thermometer for calibration will be mailed to you. |
(packed as a 1.13 MB zip file, called WinAp2.zip)
Size 12.3 MB.
Size 520 kB.