Hearing Aids – A Different Take on Communication Technology
Hearing aids have been a tremendous boon to the hard of hearing community. They are a small device of varying type that amplifies sound, usually a small and relatively concealable shape.
Original electronic hearing aids were kept in a pocket and while portable were inefficient and generally picked up sound badly. The more modern model fits behind the ear and has no battery pack, just a small zinc battery inside it. They are usable for any hearing loss from mild to serious and have a fairly inconspicuous clear plastic ear mould. They are durable and can be used by adults or children, and come in more prominent colours for those who would prefer it. There are new external aids that are smaller and use a small tube instead of an ear mould to reduce visibility and reduce the problem of your own voice being amplified because your ears are blocked.
A type of hearing aid gaining popularity is an internal aid. ITE or ‘in the ear’ aids fit in the bowl of the ear and are made specifically to fit the user. They are harder to spot than normal aids but they are unsuitable for children as the ear mould has to be specific and a child’s changes rapidly. Smaller aids are available that are hardly noticeable but deal with less serious hearing loss.
Many improvements are being made to the field. Wireless technology allows people to tune in hearing aids on each ear, use aids for communication, etc. Directional microphones focus in one direction, usually straight forward, cutting out unwanted sound. They remove the trouble of picking up your own voice, the sound of your clothing, traffic, etc.
When buying a hearing aid, specialist advice can be found from shops that deal specifically with those products. Sometimes in the UK the NHS can help to provide hearing aids as they can be very expensive to purchase. Still, the benefits are clearly impressive and anyone with hearing difficulties can regain almost full hearing with the right aid.
