Modern Day Innovation

Hearing Aid Technology

Understanding the tech is where our expertise lies.
hearing aid technology

With global advances in technology, there’s no surprise that hearing aids have become advanced and sophisticated devices capable of delivering so much more than just better hearing.

If you still think hearing aids are big, beige and boring, constantly whistle and are hopeless in background noise, you may be a tad misguided.

The advanced in hearing technology and innovation are simply astounding. It is our job to understand the technology and keep up with the innovation.

Here are just a few ground-breaking hearing aid innovations available today.

Wireless Bluetooth Streaming

In a world of smartphones and portable electronic devices, it’s no surprise that many modern hearing aids are equipped with Bluetooth technology. You will love the convenience of being able to use your Bluetooth-enabled devices (eg iPhones, Android, iPads) to stream audio content (such as music from Spotify or audiobooks from Audible) directly into your hearing aids. In most cases, this Bluetooth connection is 100% wireless.

Smartphone Connectivity

Very soon, mobile smartphones will eventually replace landline phones for good. Although you don’t need a smartphone to operate a hearing aid, it is worth noting that manufacturers are spending big dollars developing products that are compatible with smartphones. This comes with great benefits for the user, as it gives you more control over the way you hear in particular listening situations.

One major benefit of hearing aids with smartphone connectivity is the ability to download an app that acts like a remote control. This allows you to control your hearing aids, change settings and make adjustments on your own – without anyone noticing.

Rechargeable devices

Hearing aids are now rechargeable. These devices don’t use the tiny button batteries which means you will never need to regularly change batteries or buy batteries again. This makes them much easier to use and manage especially if you have dexterity issues.

Tinnitus maskers

Some hearing aids can be used to tune out tinnitus using specially designed masking features that can be activated within the device. Apps can also be downloaded to play sounds that mask the tinnitus. The tinnitus maskers can really help to alleviate tinnitus and the anxiety caused by the ringing in your ears.

Directional microphones

Directional microphones help you focus on the speech you want to hear in circumstances where there is other noise or speech competing for your attention. When the directional microphones are activated, it works automatically to change its sensitivity to reduce noise that might arise from unwanted locations or directions.

Put simply, the directional microphones work to amplify the speech you want to listen to relative to the unwanted noise and speech. The more directional the microphones, the easier it becomes to hear speech in noise. This technology is most helpful in understanding speech in challenging listening environments (eg restaurants and social gatherings). In some circumstances, you can use a smartphone to control how directional the microphones behave.

We enjoy helping you understand and use the technology. It’s what we do best.