Loss of hearing isn’t a new health condition. Many people have suffered and still suffering through this health issue. Until it was the 16th century, it was discovered that people suffering from hearing loss also suffered from different disabilities, which started discrimination against them. Pedro, a Spanish monk, taught a nobleman’s deaf son to write, read and speak and do mathematics, and then the fact was dismissed.
In the recent era, hearing aids have advanced to digital devices. The advancement in technology has created better devices that will help deaf people work like normal people. Contacting a hearing aid specialist will help you understand the benefits of using modern devices.
When Were Hearing Aids Invented?
Miller Reese Hutchinson invented the first electric hearing aid in 1898. He utilized an electric current to amplify the sound. It was a design of carbon transmitter, which made the device portable. The first batch produced wasn’t portable and bulky. However, Thomas Edison who had hearing loss invented a carbon transmitter which was later used in hearing aids. Another inventor of hearing aid was Louis Weber who created the Esha-Phonopher. This was designed in 1911 and inspired Siemens’s hearing aid manufacturer company.
The next development in hearing aid technology was in the 1920s. Earl Hanson, who was a naval engineer, was the patent of this design. This device converted speech into electric signals, which were later amplified. More advances were on the platform as the military invested during World War II. This led to the invention of transistor hearing aids, developed in the Bell Laboratories in 1948. After some time, the aids were miniature in the portable designs we use today.
The first hearing aid
The very first thing that was introduced as hearing aids were animal horns. These were also known as trumpets for ear and it was in the early 17th century. The main purpose was to cure the partial hearing issues. The trumpets were fitted in the room to amplify the sound. The design of the horns later inspired the mechanism of inserting tubes inside the ear. Many people also consider this invention as the first mechanism of the electric earpiece.
It was much later when electrical hearing aids were invented in the 19th century. Without a doubt, telephone technology inspired the entire thing. The fusion of microphone and telephone inspired future audiology and communication technology developments. The ability to control distortion, frequency, and volume of sounds was utilized at the invention of the electrical hearing aids.
How have the hearing aids developed?
The improvement of hearing aids has turned digital in the 1960s. The invention of the microprocessor in the 1970s allowed smaller digital hearing aids, and after that, the miniaturization was perfect. In the 1970s, a hybrid hearing was also invented with analog and digital instruments.
The first successful hearing aids were created in 1996 by Widex. Silicon was used as the primary material, and then the hearing devices became more useful. In the 2000s, hearing devices became customizable and digital aids became very common. Hearing aids manufacturers are still focusing on the design of fine-tuning.
Furthermore, in recent days hearing aids can be programmed, which means they can control the sounds without outside influence. These devices can entirely adjust to the surrounding of the user and they won’t even have to manually control the volume. Also, they can connect the same with Bluetooth.
The future of hearing aids
Nowadays, hearing aids can be connected with iOS devices, podcasts, phone calls, and music. You will find various apps that will enhance the workability of the hearing aid devices, and you can control the same with your smartphone. Hearing aids are connecting with other devices and apps easily these days, and there will be better advancements in the future.
There is also development in the size, batteries, and shape of the hearing aids. The new developments are made to be long-lasting and for the best convenience of the user. You will get fully customizable hearing aids that will only serve the need of individuals. If you need a device for yourself or someone in the family, it’s best to talk to a hearing aid specialist, and they will give you the best advice on the type of device you should choose based on your hearing condition.
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