Exciting Features in Hearing Aid Technology
Advances in technology continuously improve each year in electronic devices, and advancements in hearing aids have definitely not been left behind. Technology advancements in digital hearings aids allow hearing aids to function more wirelessly, and provide patients with more features to assist with communication in noisy environments. These improvements help patients of all ages regardless of how tech-savvy they may be.
Digital hearing aids come equipped with features that allow Bluetooth connectivity, apps, and wireless streaming with accessories to improve how patients communicate. Some hearing aids can connect to electronic devices directly, while others require an intermediary device
• Bluetooth connectivity – is a feature in digital hearing aids that allows wireless connection between hearing aids and other electronic devices that use Bluetooth. Fun fact: smartphones that have Bluetooth connectivity can connect to hearing aids!
• Apps – hearing aid manufacturers make apps that patients can download on their smartphones to make adjustments to their hearing aids. All manufacturers allow patients to control volume and change programs (if applicable) that are applied to the hearing aids within the software, through the app. The app allows hearing aid users with the ability to do other things. Fun fact: these other features of the app are manufacturer specific.
• Wireless streaming – audio signals from electronic devices such as television or MP3 players can also be transmitted directly to hearing aids. Manufacturers make accessories that allow for wireless streaming. Fun fact: a popular accessory that is chosen by most of my patients is a TV streamer. The TV streamer is hooked up to the television and allows for audio from the television to be transmitted directly to the patient’s hearing aid!
The thought of being able to use these features sound cool, but they all play a key role in assisting patients with hearing loss hear better in challenging situations. They all help to transmit sounds directly to the patient’s hearing aids. They do this by eliminating feedback and improving the signal-to-noise ratio that patients with hearing loss complain about all the time.
Contact our office (321) 421-7555 if you have a hearing loss and are interested in trying out hearing aids with these cool features.
References:
Mroz, M. (2019, August 13). Technology. Retrieved April 28, 2020, from https://www.healthyhearing.com/help/hearing-aids/technology
Hearing Aids. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2020, from http://hearing.wustl.edu/Hearing-Aids/Features-of-Hearing-Aid-Technology
