Devices to improve ones hearing have been around for the better part of a century. Old movies and cartoons often depict elderly people attaching a large horn type device to their ears. Although this is meant to be funny, it actually has historical significance. Even though in todays technologically advanced world, such devices are seen as comical, it should also demonstrate how far science has gone. While hearing aids used to be large, expensive, and often unreliable, hearing aids today are quite the opposite.
Hearing aids of today have come so far as to incorporate other technological devices such as cell phones, MP3 players, and computers into their use. Technicians understand the importance of including other devices such as the computer into the everyday life and function of those with hearing problems. Just how these devices transmit sound digitally, the hearing device works in a similar fashion. Digital hearing aids now have the capability of connecting to other digital listening devices such as computers, MP3 players, cell phones, and even televisions. Imagine being able to hear the television better than your family member who has perfect hearing.
Historically, hearing problems have thought to mostly effect the elderly; however, medicine and experience has taught people that this is simply not the case. People of all ages are affected with hearing problems. Infants are born with them, children develop them, disease inflicts them, and time also worsens hearing. Many factors can be attributed to a persons hearing loss. However, one thing they all share is the ability to improve ones hearing by using an aid.
Aids are customized to fit a person based upon their age, activeness, and strength of hearing. Additional advancements in hearing aid devices has allowed for a greater amount of options to permit a customized fitting. However, aids used today come with the basic components of a microphone, an amplifier, a receiver, and a power supply.
The microphone works to transfer the sound signal into electrical energy. This converts the sound waves the environmental provides into electrical units the hearing aid can identify. The frequency range of electronic microphones for hearing aids is between 50-6000 Hz. Of course, the frequency for each individual aid depends on the hearing lost.
After the sound waves passes through the microphone in order to get transferred into an electrical energy, it is then passed through the amplifier. The function of the amplifier is self explanatory, in that it amplifies the electrical energy received from the microphone. The amplifier also works directly with the receiver, as that is where it transmits the amplified electrical signal to.
The receiver works to transmit the electrical signal back to sound energy which is sent into the ear. The amplifier and receiver work so closely together that they must be chosen to match one another. A mismatch between the two can lead to limited output and distorted sounds.
The final component to contemporary hearing aids is the power source. Hearing aids used today are battery operated. It is important to keep check on the strength of the battery. You might think that your aid is malfunctioning, when all you need to do is simply replace the battery. Hearing devices have come a long way since their instruction in the early 1900s. Given their advancements and strengths, there is no excuse not to have one if you experience hearing loss.
There are plenty of miracle ear locations where you can receive a free hearing test to measure your hearing. For those of you who experience hearing problems, look online at hearingaids.Miracle-Ear.com to see the first steps to take to improve your personal hearing.