Hearing aids have gone through numerous iterations in their 200-plus year history. The technology that is implemented in hearing aids has historically been developed as a consequence of a committed scientist who is either impacted by hearing loss or has a friend or family member impacted by hearing loss. As an example, Alexander Graham Bell’s mother had profound hearing loss and his wife was deaf.
Here are 10 other little-known facts about hearing aids:
1. Through state of the art technology like Bluetooth, hearing aids can be synced wirelessly with MP3 players, TVs, smart-phones, and other electronic products, allowing the user to enjoy direct signals from each of these devices.
2. Hearing aids are not one size fits all – in fact, they can and should be programmable. This means that they have the capability to recall the most comfortable settings for the user, often conforming in real time to the immediate environment.
3. Digital hearing aids – a recent improvement — have tremendously limited the occurrence of agitating feedback, echoes, and background sounds. These were par for the course as part of previous technologies, and they made listening much more difficult.
4. In conjunction with the amplification of sound, modern hearing aids can also enhance and clarify sound.
5. When used in connection with special induction or hearing loops, hearing aid users can more clearly hear notices in public locations, conferences, airports, stadiums, and other congested locations. This technology enhances sounds and minimizes all the background noise.
6. Hearing aids were once only manufactured in beige and related colors to match people’s skin color, so that they were not easily identifiable. Today, users are welcoming their hearing aid technology, displaying a mixture of colors and patterns to flash their devices and stand out in a crowd.
7. In the same vein, hearing aids are smaller in size than ever before. They used to be massive, cumbersome devices that weighed several pounds and barely amplified sound. Today, they only weigh a few ounces and provide far superior sound quality.
8. Today, you can purchase water resistant and waterproof hearing aids to more readily fit in with your lifestyle. Water resistant hearing aids can tolerate low levels of humidity and moisture, while waterproof hearing aids can tolerate higher levels of moisture during showering and even swimming.
9. Instead of having to frequently replace the batteries in hearing aids, many are now made with rechargeable technology to cut down on upkeep costs.
10. Hearing aids do much more than amplify sound – they can also contain special tinnitus therapy components that provide the user with relief when it comes to constant ringing in the ear.
Now that you are aware of some interesting facts about hearing aids and their associated technology, you can better understand what they have to offer the young and the old alike.