Home > Working With What's Left > Digital Hearing Aid Technology
Digital hearing aids were first introduced in 1995. Until 2003, hearing aids were generally categorized and marketed as Conventional, Programmable and Digital. More recently, hearing aids are undergoing a technology revolution with an explosion of better and more affordable digital technology offerings. In 2004, over 80% of all hearing aids dispensed in the United States were digital hearing aids, and the percent continues to climb each year.
Digital hearing aids can shape amplification for you and are so precise, they can, for example, be programmed to amplify certain pitch ranges according to your audiogram. Because digital hearing aids can be prgrammed to suit your hearing loss type and personal preferences, they are far more likely to satisfy you than analog (conventional) aids.
With the wide range of digital instruments available, there are many digital aid levels and features. Below are some common terms used when describing different features included with each hearing aid.
Channels or Bands
Channels or bands are similar in concepts that refer to sound frequencies or groups of frequencies that can be adjusted for your hearing loss. Generally, more channels/bands provide increased flexibility to fine-tune hearing aids for your hearing. While the most advanced hearing aids typically have the most channels, a greater number of channels does not necessarily equate to a better hearing aid.
Today's most advanced instruments also allow processing characteristics of individual channels to be adjusted so each channel can be programmed for improved feedback management and speech in noise performance.
Memories or Programs
Memories are the number of separate programs that a hearing aid can handle. Typically, individual memories are used for some upgrade features (e.g. directional microphones or special telephone technology) and for some separate programs for different listening situations. For example, a typical 3-memory instrument would have one memory for telephone usage, one for quiet environments and one for noisy environments. As a general rule, if you are less active and don't rely on your hearing aids for telephone usage, 1 memory would be sufficient. If you need your hearing aids to perform effectively in multiple listening environments such as home, work, on the phone and noisy social situations, then you'll need a greater number of memories.
Feedback (Squealing) Reduction
 Effective amplification requires the hearing aid to have sufficient volume (gain) and most require some level of high frequency amplification to achieve the best possible clarity and results. High frequency amplification and increased volume have a tendency to create a feddback loop or the squealing sound that can be annoying and embarrasing. In the past, sacrificing volume or high frequency amplification reduced feedback. While this CAN reduce feedback, it requires settling for a prescription that is less than ideal.
Today's advanced hearing aids employ the latest software to allow your Hometown Hearing & Audiology professional to provide the volume and high frequency amplification that you need while the hearing aid software detects and eliminate feedback before it occurs.
Today's advanced feedback management technology helps avoid the annoying and embarassing squealing sounds while enabling a more perfect prescription for your hearing loss.
 
NEXT: Advanced Features
|
|
