| Hearing aids came about more than two hundred | | | | The next type is the analog programmable one which |
| years ago. They first appeared as conical shaped ear | | | | is better than the analogue adjustable as it can be |
| trumpets and horns which were held up to the ear so | | | | programmed with the use of a computer. The |
| a person could speak into it. Sound travelled down the | | | | audiologist is able to set the different programs to |
| funnel directly into the hearing impaired person to | | | | capture and transmit sound for the differing listening |
| enable them to hear. Hearing aids have a come a long | | | | situations that one comes across. As a user you have |
| way since then with many impressive types which | | | | the option of choosing the program for any given |
| work with the higher level of technology today. Now | | | | situation, with a remote control. |
| we will look at how hearing aids work in today's | | | | The most advanced is the digital programmable |
| modern world. | | | | hearing aids which work out the more expensive. It |
| Hearing aids have small microphones which pick up | | | | took years to perfect the technology as they were |
| sound which is then amplified to make it louder. A small | | | | impractical or not small enough, and now they are very |
| microphone receives the sound coming in where it is | | | | discreet for the wearer. |
| then converted into an electrical or digital signal, the | | | | So what makes a hearing aid work? The circuitry |
| data is then sent back to a speaker so it becomes | | | | consists of a feature known as DSP, which is Digital |
| sound again. The microphones are set according to a | | | | Sound Processing. The utilisation of a computer chip |
| person's hearing loss in their usual environment and will | | | | takes the sound data and analyzes it, then once |
| account for that to make hearing as normal as | | | | processed it is then amplified to the ear. The data is |
| possible. The environment will refer to the usual sound | | | | made up of billions of digital number codes which are |
| and noises that are around you on a daily basis. If you | | | | identified and classified into different sounds to give |
| are around high frequency noises, is it necessary to | | | | them their correct settings. This data is then converted |
| able to hear them? Are you mainly in an environment | | | | back into sound which is sent to the ear. As the digital |
| where conversation is quiet? The audiologist will ask | | | | hearing air can identify different frequencies, feedback |
| the relevant questions and then determine how to | | | | can be detected and eliminated so there is no |
| adjust the settings on your hearing aid to help you. This | | | | background interference for the user. This is what |
| provides some information for how hearing aids | | | | makes it much better than the analogue types, as they |
| function. | | | | work automatically and usually need little or no |
| Hearing aids today uses one of the three basic types | | | | adjustment. |
| of technology for converting the signals they receive. | | | | With advancing technology hearing aids just get better |
| The analogue adjustable hearing aid is the cheapest | | | | and smaller, offering many options for the hearing |
| and least advanced. Adjustments are carried out by | | | | impaired. They are barely noticeable which make it |
| your audiologist like the volume as well as other | | | | less embarrassing to wear one, so if you haven't |
| specifications. The hearing aid is then custom made to | | | | already, you should go ahead and improve your |
| fit you. The volume is controlled automatically, or you | | | | hearing. |
| can adjust it yourself. | | | | |