iPod Hearing Loss

This semester at UMBC, the CSEE Department is offering a class called "Topics in Signal Processing: Digital Signal Processing for Speech and Hearing Disorders." Being that some of the research in the Coral Lab centers on language learning (involving speech processing) and that body of work, in general, relies on noise-free input, this class has made me consider not only a noisy environment, but also noise that can be introduced during language comprehension and processing. Ironically, in the course, we study technologies and techniques that can restore or improve hearing (e.g. cochlear implants) using some of the same engineering that can cause hearing loss (e.g. abuse of standard speakers).

On a college campus, it's a rare day to not see those little white bud headphones presumably attached to one of the myriad iPod models. Recently a lawsuit was filed against Apple Computer, Inc. asserting the device does not adequate limit sound intensity and can lead to hearing loss. The best I could find on technical iPod specifications and advice was that the frequency response is between 20Hz and 20,000Hz and that unknown experts are warning about the dangers of prolonged, high intensity iPod listening. There is more to come...