Having Bluetooth hearing aids is not only convenient, but they are also beneficial to the deaf and mute. It would be best if you considered some factors before making a final decision about getting them.
Digital wireless technology
Even though ear-to-ear wireless communication is not a standard feature of hearing aids today, its potential is immense. It could address issues such as the binaural perception of sound and the interactions between hearing aids and their wearers. It also facilitates the ability of a user’s hearing aid to transmit signals to a second device, which could then be used to relay e-mail. In addition, digital wireless technology can improve the connection between a hearing aid and a wide variety of audio products.
Digital processing algorithms can also be shared between hearing aids, which addresses the computational limitations of a single DSP chip. For example, a user could have a hearing aid with a text-to-speech algorithm that relays e-mail to a second device. A Bluetooth chip has already been integrated into some hearing aids like Widex hearing aids bluetooth, allowing users to program the device. This would also reduce the power consumption of the device. However, some concerns adding a Bluetooth chip to a hearing aid would decrease the battery’s life. A more practical solution may be a general-purpose relay device, which would receive a Bluetooth signal and then relay that signal to a hearing aid.
Ear-to-ear wireless communication
Using Bluetooth, a pair of hearing aids can communicate wirelessly with each other. The benefits of ear-to-ear connectivity include synchronization of essential functions like left and proper volume controls and preserving binaural cues. The first and most obvious application is to allow a person with a hearing loss to communicate with someone who is not deaf. These are not the only applications; wireless technology can transmit sound from a DVD player to speakers. It is also possible to send e-mail wirelessly to a person’s hearing aid. Other applications include sharing processing between two or more hearing aids. This will be the next big thing in the audio industry. It will also open up new avenues of application for audiologists and the wearer. The biggest challenge will be connecting to an audio source as efficiently as possible. As digital wireless chips’ size and power consumption decrease, we expect to see many more of these devices in the coming years. As the applications mentioned above show, it’s not hard to imagine a time when a pair of hearing aids will be considered a single system. Eventually, it will be the norm.
Binaural perception
A few companies vying for your business in the ear-shaped hemisphere have gotten into the Bluetooth game. There are more than 5000 registered companies. Not surprisingly, many companies are looking to boost their bottom line with a better wireless connection. This begs the question, is a Bluetooth hearing aid a good idea? If the answer is yes, a lot of money will be made in the future. Research and design savvy should yield some great products. The right hearing aid can mean the difference between a lifetime of enjoyment and despair for the hearing impaired. A good hearing aid should be designed and sourced with care and precision. The most important thing is to understand your customer. This can be accomplished by conducting a proper customer assessment and developing a tailored product to address their unique needs. Ultimately, there is no one size fits all solution. It is up to each individual to decide whether a Bluetooth hearing aid suits them. Regardless, the benefits of this new wireless connectivity are immeasurable.
Increased availability
Increasingly, hearing aids for the deaf and mute will use Bluetooth. While the technology may not be in every hearing aid today, it’s a logical development. It will help reduce the power required to connect hearing aids with other devices wirelessly. It will also provide a whole new set of benefits to audio products. Several companies are developing digital wireless technology. These technologies are smaller, faster, and less potent than their analog counterparts. They’re also driving down costs. Some of these innovations have been borrowed from other industries. It’s estimated that more than 5,000 companies are registered to develop products with the Bluetooth protocol. Bluetooth connectivity has also been used to program hearing aids. It’s been shown that using the technology could improve the accuracy of auditory scene analysis. It could help deaf and mute hearing aid wearers make sense of their environment, especially in more complex environments. Another radical innovation is the ability to hear aids to cancel feedback. A feedback cancellation chip has been designed to reduce the amount of interference that would otherwise affect the signals in the hearing aid. This is especially helpful for users with asymmetric hearing loss. Many new algorithms developed for the hearing aid industry will be borrowed from other industries. However, they’ll have to be tweaked to work in all sorts of conditions. The biggest challenge for future hearing aid designers will be making it easy to connect to an audio source. A general-purpose relay device can receive and relay signals from a Bluetooth-enabled phone. This would require significantly less power than the Bluetooth chip that would be necessary to transmit audio.
