Updated from the original Oct, 2016 post.
Hearing aids are becoming smaller and yet more powerful with every advancement in technology. You might be wondering, how can they fit all of that technology in such a tiny space? What exactly goes inside a hearing aid?
All hearing aids have 5 basic components:
- Microphone
- Amplifier
- Loudspeaker
- Battery
- Computer chip (this is programmed by the Audiologist.)
- Bonus – most new hearing aids also have a wireless connection
The role of the microphone, amplifier & loudspeaker
The microphone picks up the acoustic signal in the environment and converts it to an electrical signal. Most hearing aids have more than one microphone to pick up sound in a more directional manner, which prioritizes sound coming from the front of the listener. The sound is then analyzed by the computer chip.
Next, the processed sound is sent to the amplifier. The amplifier sends the signal to the loudspeaker which emits the sound into the ear canal towards the tympanic membrane where it can then be processed by the inner ear. Most new hearing aids also have a wireless antenna for connecting to other wireless devices (e.g. cell phones, tablets, and audio players).
Hearing aid batteries
- 10: 3-6 days
- 312: 10-14 days
- 13: 2-3 weeks
- 675: 3-4 weeks
Rechargeable batteries:
Hearing aids are mini computers
Today’s hearing aids are digital devices which means the “natural” sound waves are converted into digital bits (0,1) that will be processed by the hearing aid. This digital signal processing gives Audiologists much more control over the settings in the hearing aids. Instead of having devices that “amplify all sounds,” we can selectively amplify only the frequencies where the hearing loss occurs to protect your ears from further damage. We can selectively enhance soft speech while leaving loud speech alone, which makes for a more comfortable sound environment.
We can also adjust how quickly or effectively the hearing aids deal with background noise. In addition, hearing aids can better distinguish between different types of “noise.” It will adapt differently based on whether the background noise is a continuous sound, such as a car engine, or whether it’s a more variable sound such as music or other speech.
Wireless connection
New hearing aids can transmit sound from Bluetooth® devices, such as smart phones, a laptop computer, or tablet.
You don’t have to hold the phone to your ear or hearing aid to hear the sounds. The interface has a microphone inside that picks up the sound of your voice so the person you are talking with can hear you. Their voice is transmitted directly into both hearing aids for a binaural (both ears) listening experience.
Hearing aids will keep advancing
This is a fascinating time for hearing technology. Hearing aids are benefitting from every new advancement in computer technology. According to hearing aid manufacturer Starkey, “The processing power of the printed circuit board inside a Halo hearing aid is magnitudes greater than the computers aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft that took astronauts to the moon.”
If you have any questions, or want to speak with an Audiologist about hearing aids please contact us at Broadmead Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2969 or Oak Bay Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2921.