an immersive hearing loss and auditory prostheses simulator allows a person who listens through the simulation system to experience an actual shift in his or her thresholds for detecting ambient sounds , in a way that is similar to the shift in thresholds experienced by a hearing - impaired person . the simulator shifts the listener &# 39 ; s thresholds while also processing the input signals for suprathreshold stimulation . with a controlled degree of auditory threshold shift with loudness recruitment , a hearing loss simulator is made valid and flexible .