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  • Auditory Hazard Assessment Algorithm for Humans (AHAAH)
    • Executive Summary of the Development and Validation of AHAAH
    • MIL-STD 1474D Method of Hazard Prediction
    • AIBS Peer-Review of AHAAH
    • Clarification of the AIBS Peer-Review of AHAAH
    • Examination of and Response to Auditory Standard Issues
    • Weapon noise exposure of the human ear analyzed with the AHAAH model
    • Impulse Noise and the Cat Cochlea
    • Uniqueness of the Albuquerque data set
    • Functional Description of the Model
    • Validation of AHAAH
    • Calculational procedure for incorporating hearing protector variability
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Auditory Hazard Assessment Algorithm for Humans (AHAAH)

Modern weapons and a broad spectrum of industrial machinery produce intense acoustic impulses that can make them unsafe, limit their use, or restrict their design. Recent studies indicate that all current noise exposure standards and design guidelines for impulse generating weapons are seriously in error. To overcome these limitations, ARL's Human Research and Engineering Directorate (HRED) developed a mathematical model of the human auditory system that predicts the hazard from any free-field pressure and provides a visual display of the damage process as it is occurring. The model is a powerful design tool that shows the specific parts of the waveform that need to be addressed in machinery and weapon design. This unique model is the only method of assessing noise hazard for the entire range of impulses that are relevant to the Army. The model has the potential to serve as an international design standard for weapons and to provide damage or risk criteria for intense impulses of industrial origin.

Documentation:

• Executive Summary of the Development and Validation of AHAAH
• MIL-STD 1474D Method of Hazard Prediction
• AIBS Peer-Review of AHAAH
• Clarification of the AIBS Peer-Review of AHAAH

Software

• Click here for the Web application version of the AHAAH model.
• Click here for the ZIP version of the AHAAH model (beta release W93e).

Response to Technical Issues

• An Examination of and Response to "Auditory Standard Issues" by Dr. James Stuhmiller

Scientific Basis for the Model

• Weapon Noise Exposure of the Human Ear Analyzed with the AHAAH model
• Impulse Noise and the Cat Cochlea
• The Uniqueness of the Albuquerque Dataset and "Evaluation of impulse noise criteria using human volunteer data"
  (J. Acoust. Soc. Am 110, 1967-1975(2001)) by Chan et al.
• Functional Description of the Model
• Validation of AHAAH
• A Calculational Procedure for Incorporating Hearing Protector Variability in Health Hazard Assessments with the AHAAH Model
• Auditory Hazard Units as an Index of Risk from Intense Sounds
• A hearing protector model for predicting impulsive noise hazard (Kalb, NOISE-CON 2010)

Technical Reports

• Evaluation of an auditory hazard model using data from human volunteer studies, USARL Report No. 2005-01 (2004)
• Critical analysis and comment on Patterson and Ahroon (2004) "Evaluation of an auditory hazard model using data from human volunteer studies" USAARL Report No. 2005-01
• Current Status of Rating Hazard from Intense Sounds and The Need for an Update to MIL-STD-1474(D)
• Using the Auditory Hazard Assessment Algorithm for Humans Software , Beta Release W93e (ARL-TR-4987) (Beta Release W93e is available for download in the SOFTWARE section above)
• An Analysis of the Blast Overpressure Study Data Comparing Three Exposure Criteria. NIOSH Report No. EPHB 309-05h (Murphy, Khan, and Shaw)
• Critique of 'An Analysis of the Blast Overpressure Study Data Comparing Three Exposure Criteria, by Murphy, Khan, and Shaw. (ARL-CR-657)

Support for Peer Review

• Modeling Noise Hazard Assessment to the Human Ear (2001 AIBS Peer Review)
• AHAAH: AIBS Review of Impulse Noise Models (2010)