Method for testing using hearing aid

1 . A method for compensating for hearing loss, said method comprising the steps of:

applying a hearing aid having substantially uniform frequency response across several bands of the audible spectrum;

evaluating hearing loss in each band using the hearing aid;

programming the hearing aid to compensate for the loss in each band;

wherein the same device that is used for testing is used for compensation.

2 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the number of bands is greater than seven.

3 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hearing aid is programmed to respond to control signals and further including the step of:

providing the control signals from a programmer to the hearing aid for initiating said evaluating and programming steps.

4 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said evaluating step includes the step of:

substantially canceling noise in the ear canal using the electronics in the hearing aid.

5 . The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the hearing aid is programmed to respond to control signals and further including the step of:

providing the control signals from a programmer to the hearing aid for initiating said canceling, evaluating, and programming steps.

6 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said applying step is preceded by the step of:

identifying the hearing aids as one known to the programmer.

7 . The method as set forth in claim 6 and including the step of:

blocking at least the evaluating step if the hearing aid is not known to the programmer.

8 . The method as set forth in claim 6 and including the step of:

programming an unknown hearing aid with existing data, without performing the evaluating step.

9 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said evaluating step includes the step of:

providing background noise in the ear not being evaluated to reduce the chance of cross-coupling during the evaluation.