Exciting New Technology with Digital Hearing Aids

Hearing aids continue to evolve along as technology advances. Hearing aids have long ago evolved past the large cumbersome machines that used to squeak and buzz. Hearing aids today are small, sleek and easy to use. While hearing aids in the past used analog technology almost all hearing aids are making the switch to digital. Get ready to explore the amazing features and options of digital hearing aids that analog hearing aids of the past just couldn’t deliver!

Analog Hearing Aids

Hearing aids no matter if they are analog or digital are made up of four components including a microphone used for picking up the sounds around you and sending them to an amplifier which increases the volume of sounds. The receiver sends the sounds to your inner ear so you can hear using your remaining hearing ability. The hearing aid is powered by a battery, which either needs to be replaced regularly, or recharged, depending on the model. When hearing aids are analog they pick up all the sounds around you. The problem with this is that analog hearing aids cannot prioritize which sounds are important. They pick up the buzz of your refrigerator the same way they pick up the sound of people speaking to you. In a quiet place analog hearing aids can help you hear but it can start to get rather confusing when you have to prioritize the sounds of the people you want to hear vs. the chatter of the total crowd. This is just one way that digital hearing aids can help to improve your listening experience.

Digital Hearing Aids

With digital hearing aids, the amplifier is where the major difference occurs. The amplifier acts as a computerized brain analyzing sound information and making quick decisions around which sounds need to be prioritized. When digital hearing aids process sound and sends it to the receiver and into your ears it has already decided what sounds are most important for you to communicate and stay safe. While analog sound is processed in a wave, digital hearing aids process those sounds into tiny incremental steps. While analog sound is a more natural form of sound, digital hearing aids are more equipped to control sound, reducing feedback and excess buzzing. When sound is compartmentalized into steps it is easier for your hearing aids to reduce background noise and enhance speech so you can hear the people you are in conversation and subdue the rest. Digital hearing aids do this by prioritizing which sounds are amplified depending on the hearing aid setting. They can automatically adjust the volume setting and switch for settings for home, work or different crowded environments.

Digital Adaptability

The beauty of digital hearing aids is that they are adaptable. While analog hearing aids pick up audio information as a wall of sound, digital hearing aids can be programmed by your audiologist to adapt to your evolving hearing ability. As your hearing ability changes your hearing aids can be reprogrammed to accommodate your hearing needs. This technology only continues to get better with ongoing updates and advancements making your hearing experience mirror the nuisances in your original hearing ability. The newest hearing aids are even coming equipped with artificial and machine intelligence which remembers your preferred settings for different environments and switches to them automatically. Not only does artificial intelligence detect your position via GPS and adapt but also tracks your physical activity, your heart rate and amount of time spent listening. This technology can come in handy when monitoring your own health or the health of an aging loved one.

The Future of Hearing Aids

Who knows what the future of hearing aids holds but with the amazing advancement of digital hearing aids it seems that only our imagination is the limit. If you are using older hearing aids that aren’t working for you anymore, then this is a wonderful moment to explore your options. The newest technology is designed to make your hearing you’re your life with the ones you love as easy as possible. Contact us today! We can help you find the best hearing aids for your lifestyle needs and keep you hearing crisp and clear for years to come.