PERSONAL PROGRAMMABLE HEARING AID – TURN UP THE SOUND AT YOUR WILL!

Deafness of the ear is a major sensory disorder which affects scores of people all over the world. The causes for deafness can be either related to dysfunctions of the hearing mechanisms or due to wear and tear, certain diseases and infections or a consequence of shock and trauma. Hearing is a vital and a much cherished human sense without which life will become very difficult. However in most cases, deafness may be manifested only partially. The afflicted people will have problems hearing beyond a certain frequency of sound called individual hearing threshold. The higher the threshold value, more acute is the degree of deafness of the ear.
All is not lost for individuals with partial hearing loss. With rapid advancements in technology, numerous hearing aids have been developed which have minimized the woes of deaf people to a great extent. The modern-day hearing aid is basically an electroacoustic device consisting of an in-built microphone, amplifier and speaker. This small device works like a mini audio system wherein the microphone receives the sound waves and converts them into corresponding electric signals. The amplitude of the electrical signals is increased by the amplifier and the output the generated by the speaker which functions vice-versa to the microphone.
Hearing aids come in two varieties now. One type is the conventional analog hearing aids which functions by converting sound signals into electrical signals and the reverse again. Digital hearing aids employ the same concept of digital music systems in which the sound signals are converted into binary codes and then amplified. Digital hearing aids are completely programmable and offers flexibility to both the user and the audiologist who monitors the condition of the user’s hearing ability.
Hearing aids are of different types depending on the way it is designed and worn. Some of the styles are Behind the Ear (BTE) hearing aids, In the Ear (ITE) aids, In the Canal (ITC) and Completely In Canal (CIC) aids. Most of the hearing aid styles sport a feature called Personal Programmable Hearing, also known as Consumer Programmable or self programmable hearing aid. This feature gives users that much needed flexibility to set any hearing settings by connecting the device to a computer through USB cable. Programmable hearing aids can also be remotely controlled by employing remote access technology. It’s indeed a boon for the deaf!