The Latest Advancements In Hearing Technology

Many people in the United States and worldwide live with hearing loss and other related conditions. However, they can still live their fullest lives with the help of hearing technology. Indeed, hearing technology has enabled people with hearing impairment to communicate effectively with others and flourish in social situations. Moreover, they can be more productive at work. This article will explore the latest advancement in hearing technology and how people with hearing conditions can benefit from them.

Hearing Aids

These are little electronic devices that people with hearing loss wear behind or in their ears to improve their hearing. These items have three components that amplify sounds for the wearer. First, the microphone receives and converts sound waves to electrical signals and sends them to the amplifier. The amplifier then increases the signal’s power and sends them to the ear through the speaker. Hearing aids are ideal for hearing loss caused by hair cell damage.

Cochlear Implants

Cochlear implants are different from hearing aids in that they directly stimulate the auditory nerves instead of amplifying sounds to be detected by damaged hair cells. This hearing technology sends signals to the brain through the auditory nerve, so remember this. Cochlear implants are ideal for severe hearing loss, as hearing aids may not work well. These devices leverage a sound processor that is placed behind the ear. It captures sound signals, transmitting them to a receiver under the skin behind the ear. These signals are then sent to electrodes in the cochlea.

What Are the Latest Hearing Technology Advancements?

Hearing technology has advanced over the years, making communicating effectively easier for people with hearing impairment. Here are some innovative additions worth considering.

Automatic Program Selection

People with hearing instruments are often met with different listening situations; they often have to alternate between noisy and quiet environments, causing their devices to encounter obstacles when processing speech. Moreover, hearing instruments are tailored to the wearer’s needs, and a single setting is often required to cater to all listening situations. This may not be the ideal option.

Thanks to technology, wearers can now benefit from automatic program selection. This new feature allows your hearing aids and other devices to detect various programs without manual input. This can improve your hearing, as you don’t have to guess which program is ideal for a particular environment.

Wind Noise Reduction

Although spending time outdoors is beneficial, it can sometimes be uncomfortable for hearing aid users due to wind noise. Turbulent airflow around the device’s microphone can cause unwanted and distracting noise. Additionally, it can drown other desirable sounds, such as speech, making it challenging to communicate with others outdoors. And this can sometimes cause hearing aid users to avoid spending time outside, which can harm their overall well-being.

Fortunately, wind noise reduction is a new hearing aid feature that wearers will benefit from. This technology reduces wind sound and unwanted noises to ensure you can comfortably spend time outdoors while enjoying a more comfortable listening experience.

Digital Adaptive Directional Microphones

Older hearing aids have omnidirectional microphones that pick-up sounds from all directions. Admittedly, omnidirectional microphones can allow you to detect distant sounds easily in quiet areas. However, they can pick up any sound, making it an issue in public places. For instance, you can hear the refrigerator sounds and every restaurant’s customer’s voice.

And this can make it challenging to listen to your conversations. That said, a hearing aid with only an omnidirectional microphone may not be ideal for outdoor situations. And that’s why new hearing devices have directional microphones.

This addition lets the device pick up and amplify desirable sound waves from a specific location. And the good news is that directional microphones have also evolved with time. Technological advancement allows you to get hearing aids with adaptive directional microphones. Together with noise reduction technology, these advanced microphones highlight and amplify speech over other sounds in a noisy environment.

Bluetooth Technology

The latest hearing instruments often have Bluetooth technology and for good reasons. For starters, you can easily listen to entertainment media such as music and podcasts with clarity. Moreover, it makes audio and video call more comfortable and enjoyable, as you can easily stream them to your hearing aids, which amplifies their speeches.

Enjoy the Benefits of the Latest Hearing Technology Today!

Despite the exciting features of the latest hearing aids, you still need to consult an audiologist to determine the right option for you. Fortunately, experts at Gavin Audiology and Hearing Aids can help you make the right choice. Feel free to call us today at (914) 610-3440 for more information.