Design of realistic artificial heads adapted for testing hearing protectors against stationary and impulsive noises

The selection of a hearing protector, the last line of defense against noise exposure, primarily relies on the acoustic attenuation it can provide. To measure this attenuation, Acoustic Test Fixtures (ATFs), which are artificial heads equipped with ear simulators, can be used. To date, no ATF, by its design, allows for estimating the effects of intra- and inter-individual variability of subjects (e.g., the effect of sex) on the attenuation of hearing protectors for both stationary and impulsive noises, nor can it reproduce bone conduction through a human head.
The effects of the protective mechanisms of the middle ear on attenuation remain unknown and are consequently not considered in existing ATFs.

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