Dataset

The VAST: Video Audiometry Sequence Test database is a set of video sequences of different patients recorded during the performance of the pure tone audiometry tests. The dataset includes a total of 11 video sequences with a duration ranging from 4 to 8 min. Video sequences were recorded in high resolution (1080x1920 pixels) with a frame rate of 25 FPS (frames per second). The scene of acquisition of the video sequences is quite simple, the video camera is located behind the audiologist (the audiologist is sitting in front of the patient) and the scene recorded shows the patient's face and the audiometer.

If you are interested in using the VAST video database, please send an email to: mortega@udc.es and you will receive an authentication password to access the database. This is intended for statistical purposes only, no private data or fee is required. If you use this image set for your work, please include a reference of VAST in it.

Collaborations

Main publications

• A. Fernández, M. Ortega, B. Cancela, M. G. Penedo, C. Vazquez, LM Gigirey, "Automatic processing of audiometry sequences for objective screening of hearing loss", Expert Systems with Applications, DOI 10.1016/j.eswa.2012.05.015, 2012. (pending of publication).
  [Abstract] [PDF]
  Audiology is the branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and related disorders. Detecting patients with slow responses to auditory stimuli is relevant because this slowness could be due to other cognitive problems or conditions, which should be studied carefully. In this paper, we present an automatic methodology for processing video sequences recorded during the performance of hearing tests to patients. This screening method allows us to measure the patient's response times to the auditory stimuli sent to them, and based on these times, to identify those patients with response times abnormally slow. The method is tested on individuals taken at random from a standard population, and based on the obtained results, it is confirmed that the proposed method is valid for the automatic detection of patients with slow response times, and it also serves to the experts as a tool for the accurate and objective measurement of these times.
• A. Fernández, M. Ortega, B. Cancela, M. G. Penedo, C. Vazquez, LM Gigirey, "Measuring response times to auditory stimuli during an audiometry", 4th International Symposium on Applied Sciences in Biomedical and Communication Technologies (ISABEL 2011), Barcelona, Spain, October 2011.
  [Abstract] [PDF] [+Info.]
  This paper provides a methodology for the measure of the patient’s reaction times to auditory stimuli during the performance of an audiometry. An audiometry is the standard way of analyzing the hearing of a patient in order to diagnose hearing loss. From a video sequence recorded during this test, the method will be able to detect the instants when the expert is sending the auditory stimulus and when the patient responds consciously to it by raising his hand, being able, this way, to measure its reaction time. The proposed method was tested on several video sequences from different individuals yielding highly accurate results. The possibility of quantitative measure the reaction times will allow the experts to conduct several studies and to further complete the evaluation of their patients.
• A. Fernández, M. Ortega, M. G. Penedo, B. Cancela, LM Gigirey, C. Vazquez, "Automatic analysis of the patient's conscious responses to the emission of auditory stimuli during the performance of an audiometry", International Conference on Digital Image Computing: Techniques and Applications (DICTA), 291-296, Noosa, Australia, December 2011.
  [Abstract] [PDF] [+Info.]
  This paper presents a methodology for the automatic detection of human conscious responses to different auditory stimuli during the performance of an audiogram. An audiogram is the standard way of analyze the hearing of a patient in order to diagnose hearing loss. From a video sequence captured during the hearing evaluation performed by an expert to a patient, the methodology will be able to detect the instants in which the expert is sending auditory stimulus and when the patient responds consciously to them by raising the hand in order to indicate that he has heard them. The proposed method has been tested on a dataset of almost 7000 frames from three different video sequences obtaining very encouraging results in the hand raise detection as a response to the auditory stimulus. Finally, an analysis of the patient's speed reaction to stimuli is discussed.