Digital Hearing Aids
A digital hearing aid consists of FOUR components: a microphone, an amplifier, a receiver (speaker), and a hearing aid battery
1. Microphone: picks up speech and sounds and converts the sounds as electrical signals that get sent to an amplifier.
2. Amplifier: central processor that functions as a computerized brain to process and enhance the speech sounds, and send the signals to the ear via the receiver (speaker).
3. Receiver (speaker): send the enhanced speech sounds to your ears
4. Hearing battery: replaceable battery or rechargeable battery (built-in).
Powerful Features of Current Digital Hearing Aids
1. Water and dust resistant
2. Connections to TV, cell phone, computer & tablets using Bluetooth
3. Cell phone app to control settings of hearing aids
4. Remote hearing care from your home (Get help from your hearing care professional via video calls.)
5. Rechargeable hearing aid
- Short charging time
- Charging cases:
- charging battery for the hearing aid
- serving as a portable charging case
Types Of Hearing Aids
There are two main styles:
Differences between Hearing Aids and Personal Sound Amplifiers
Hearing aids are designed to assist people with hearing loss to hear better and clearer, while Hearing amplifiers [Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs)/ wearable devices] aim to help users to hear the distant sounds with a louder volume. It appears that both hearing aids and PSAPs are similar, but their nature of use, functions, and health benefits are much different.
For details, please see the following links:
https://www.signia.net/en/blog/global/2018-12-10-difference-between-hearing-amplifiers-and-hearing-aids/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/hearing-amplifiers-vs-hearing-aids-whats-the-difference
https://canadianaudiologist.ca/otc-hearing-aids-feature/
https://www.healthline.com/health/hearing-amplifiers-vs-hearing-aids
