It’s impressive to see just how advanced hearing aid technology has gotten over the past few decades. As everyday products like cellphones, televisions and even our cars have evolved, so have hearing aids.
Once only able to amplify sound somewhat crudely, modern hearing aids are now capable of so much more. By exploring how hearing aids work, we can understand why they’re so impressive.
Modern digital hearing aids are made up of 5 components:
Unlike older models, modern hearing aids tend to come with a built-in rechargeable battery. The computer processor is a newer addition. It’s essentially the brain of the hearing aids, which allows it to pull off the impressive feats that modern hearing aids are capable of.
The process starts with the microphone picking up sound and sending it to the computer processor. As its name implies, it processes those sounds and sends them to the amplifier. Then the amplifier sends the signals through the speaker, allowing the user to hear their surroundings with a much higher level of clarity than would be experienced without.
This is a very simplistic explanation, but it serves well to describe the process as well as to understand the importance of the computer processor. All modern digital hearing aid capabilities are made possible by the minicomputer inside them.
The most exciting aspect of modern digital hearing aids is that – with the help of an audiologist or a professional hearing instrument specialist – they can be adjusted to perfectly suit the wearer’s hearing needs.
No two hearing aid users will have the same degree of hearing loss, so hearing aids need to be able to adapt to fit the need of each individual user.
Following a hearing test, the hearing care professional will program the hearing aids based on the results. The hearing aids can be adjusted to target the specific range or types of sounds that are most challenging for the wearer.
Thanks to the minicomputer and with some help from multidirectional microphones, digital hearing aids are now able to filter out background noises. This capability greatly improves speech comprehension in situations like loud restaurants.
This handy utility is often automatic and would be enviable even by people with regular hearing capabilities.
Modern digital hearing aids can be controlled and adjusted by their users quite easily. With the help of Bluetooth technology, you can connect your hearing aids to your smartphone and adjust the settings using an app.
A perception of hearing aids as being bulky, ugly, awkward and only for older users persists to this day.
These misconceptions are outdated or just plain wrong. Advancements in hearing aid technology mean they are smaller, sleeker and more capable than their older counterparts.
There are numerous styles of hearing aids currently available. From behind-the-ear (BTE) models to in-the-ear (ITE) styles, most hearing aids are small and stylish, and many are barely even noticeable.
In the past, some hearing aids could have issues processing the sounds they received. This error would sometimes lead to an annoying and distressing squeal or whistle. Modern hearing aids are so far advanced compared to their older counterparts that this is just not an issue anymore.
Of course, amplifying environmental sounds is an important aspect of hearing aids, but it is far from their only ability. Modern hearing aids are capable of boosting incoming sound as well as targeting certain sound ranges, both to amplify wanted sounds and suppress unwanted ones (like background sounds at a noisy restaurant).
Many people rely on their hearing aids to get by in their day-to-day lives. Thanks to advancements in both the style and technical ability of modern digital hearing aids, even more will experience the improvements they provide, both physically and mentally. If you are suffering from hearing loss, there is a very good chance that modern hearing aids will be able to help you as well.
You can start by booking a hearing test with Professional Audiology.
Visit Professional Audiology Clinic at our central Edmonton or Sherwood Park locations!
Edmonton - Hys Centre
11010-101 Street NW, Unit #107
Sherwood Park – Emerald Hills Office Tower
8005 Emerald Drive, Unit #827 (second floor)
Evening appointments available.