Wireless hearing aids
Without a doubt, the latest news in hearing aids is wireless technology.
Wireless, in this context, means that your hearing aids have a feature that creates a direct wireless connection to media sound sources like your television, stereo, computer or phone.
With wireless, you get the sound you want to hear streamed right into your ears at the volume most comfortable for you. Other people in the room use the television remote control to set the volume they prefer.
There are several types of wireless technology available in hearing aids today. Below is a brief overview of the different technologies you might encounter. Although these systems work with your television, stereo, computer or phone, most of the discussion will use television as the example.
Sound streams directly from your television, stereo or phone to you with the aid of a small device attached to your television.
-
Types of wireless hearing aids
-
-
Near-field magnetic induction (NFMI) systems use Bluetooth® technology to stream audio from the transmitting device to an intermediary relay device worn around your neck, which in turn transmits to your hearing aids. NFMI was the first wireless technology; the transmission range is limited to 3-5 feet* and there can be a sound delay with the device.
-
900 MHz Radio-Frequency (RF) systems use an antenna to transmit to your hearing aids. You plug a small transmitting device into your television's "audio out" jack; the transmitter streams the audio directly to your hearing aids. The range is greater than with NFMI systems – about 20-30 feet from the television or stereo. RF systems do not require a relay device worn around your neck.
RF systems on the 900 MHz band support long-distance audio streaming as well as reliable communication between both hearing aids for binaural, or ear-to-ear, processing**. In effect, your hearing aids are able to share information with each other to improve sound management in many situations. The transmission device can stream audio to more than one hearing aid wearer at a time.
-
2.4 GHz band Radio-Frequency systems transmit on the 2.4 GHz band, a frequency commonly used by many home electronics such as computer networks, garage door openers and wireless phones. These systems also support long-distance audio streaming, although there is some debate about whether users experience interference from the household devices mentioned above. The 2.4 GHz platform does not support ear-to-ear processing.
-
Benefits of wireless hearing aids
-
Hearing aids equipped with wireless technology can improve your multi-media listening experience. The voices, music or other audio you want to hear are transmitted directly to you, bypassing ambient noise. You control the volume of your transmitting device, while others in the room control the volume of the original media source (like the television).
Radio-frequency wireless systems offer the added benefit of mobility. First, you'll enjoy the freedom of a longer transmission range, allowing you to move about the room. Second, you can attach transmission devices to each of your media sound sources throughout the house, allowing you to hear the appropriate audio as you move through rooms containing televisions, stereos and computers.
-
Wireless hearing aids and telephones
-
Wireless hearing aids are designed to improve your telephone experience by streaming the incoming sound directly from your telephone or cell phone to the Telecoil inside your hearing aids. A Telecoil is a small, tightly wound wire which picks up the electromagnetic signal from inside your phone's speaker without picking up unwanted ambient noise.
-
Ear-to-Ear Communication
-
Some wireless technology allows your hearing aids to communicate with each other. If you adjust the setting on one hearing aid, the other adjusts to the same setting automatically. Your two hearing aids can also compare and prioritize sound that is primarily in one hearing aid. For example, if you are driving, and one hearing aid detects wind noise out the window but the other hearing aid detects conversation from your passenger, your hearing aids will automatically adjust themselves to make conversation the priority.
*Groth, J. (2010) Five Myths About Digital Wireless Hearing Aid Technology. Hearing Review. 2010; 17(13):24-30.
** Galster, J. (2010) A New Method for Wireless Connectivity in Hearing Aids. The Hearing Journal. 2010; 63 (10):36-39.
Finding this information helpful?
Create
My Saved Files to save and share
facts, figures, and personal survey results.
Get Started Today »