Four hundred years ago, the only way to treat hearing loss would have been to hold a giant funnel-shaped device called an ear trumpet next to your ear. It didn't do much to improve hearing, and it was hard to hide.
The first modern hearing aids attached to the ear and amplified sound using vacuum tubes at first, then later transistors and microprocessors. They were still clunky and obvious, not to mention squeaky. You might have seen your grandparents wearing them and thought, "Not for me!"
Hearing aid design has improved a lot since then. Today hearing aids fit behind or inside your ear. They're almost invisible and packed with technology. An audiologist can customize them to fit your lifestyle and amount of hearing loss. Your hearing aids can connect to your smartphone, automatically adjust to noise levels in the room, and even stream your favorite music and TV shows.
These are some of the innovations that have transformed hearing aids and made these devices game changers for people with hearing loss.
Hearing Aids Then -- and Now
What we know as the modern hearing aid came on the heels of the telephone. In 1870, Thomas Edison, who himself had hearing loss, invented a carbon transmitter to amplify sound going into his newly invented phone. Electrical engineer Miller Reese Hutchison used the same technology to create the first portable hearing aid in 1898, called the Akouphone.
Early hearing aids were made up of a microphone, an amplifier to make the sound louder, headphones, and a very large battery that only lasted for a couple of hours.
Vacuum tube technology came along in the 1920s. The tube converted speech into electrical signals. Yet the user still had to carry the hearing aid around in a wooden box the size of a suitcase and hold the receiver to their ear. The first wearable vacuum tube hearing aid arrived in 1938.
Hearing aids got smaller and smaller over the years, thanks to inventions like the transistor in 1948. For the first time, people could wear these devices inside or behind their ear.
The microprocessor, which was introduced in the 1970s, divided the hearing signal into frequencies to boost certain sounds more than others. That invention allowed for more fine-tuning of the sound. In the 1980s, hearing aids went digital and became smaller than ever.
The 21st century has brought a new era for hearing technology. Modern hearing aids are mostly digital. They're also programmable and so tiny that they're nearly invisible.
How Modern Hearing Aids Work
Hearing aids are small electronic devices that you wear inside or behind your ear. Sounds enter the hearing aid through a microphone. A computer chip converts the sound into electrical signals and adjusts the level based on your environment and hearing needs. The amplified signals are turned back into sound waves that travel into your ears through little speakers called receivers.
Modern hearing aids also come equipped with technologies like Bluetooth and rechargeable batteries.
High-Tech Hearing Tools
These are some of the hearing aid features that improve sound quality and make these devices easier to use.
Automatic adjustments. Hearing aids adapt to your environment. They can filter out wind and other noises you don't want to hear.
Bluetooth. This technology connects your hearing aid to your favorite device. You can wirelessly stream phone calls, music, audio books, and podcasts from your phone or tablet. Or you can listen to movies and TV shows from your TV.
Directional mics and noise reduction. These features make it easier to understand conversations at parties and other noisy places. The mic picks up sounds closer to you and filters out noise coming from further away. The noise reduction feature reduces background sounds.
Health monitoring. Smartwatches aren't the only device that keeps tabs on your health. "Healthables" are hearing aids that use sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to count your steps, monitor your activity level, and notify family members if you fall.
Open fit. Older hearing aids block the ear canal, which can make your voice sound muffled like you're talking from inside a barrel. Open-fit hearing aids amplify sound through a small tube placed in your ear canal. They leave your ear open, which gives your voice a more natural sound.
Programmable. Your audiologist can program your hearing aids to fit your lifestyle and the environments where you often use them.
Rechargeable batteries. Hearing aids used to be powered by tiny button batteries. Now many of them have rechargeable batteries that plug into an outlet or USB. Rechargeable batteries cost more than disposable ones, but the upside is you won't have to replace them every few days.
Remote control. This feature prevents you from having to fumble with tiny controls. You can adjust your hearing aid wirelessly through a remote control or your smartphone.
Telecoils. Also called a "T-coil," this device pairs with your phone to help you hear calls more clearly. You can also use this feature in theaters that have a public induction loop system to reduce background noise and boost the volume during plays and concerts.
Tech is Expensive
Hearing aids cost a lot because they're like tiny computers. Expect to pay $2,000 to $7,000 for a prescription pair. The cost should include the fitting and follow-up visits. Over-the-counter hearing aids are less expensive, but you will have to adjust them yourself.
Hearing aids often come with a warranty that will cover any loss or damage. A new pair should last up to five years, but likely should be replaced every 3 to 7 years. Just like a computer, you may want to update them as new technology becomes available.
Show Sources
Photo Credit: Bettmann / Getty Images
SOURCES:
AARP: "How to Choose a Hearing Aid."
Better Hearing: "The Price of Hearing Aids."
Hearing Health Foundation: "Hearing Aid History: Ear Trumpets, European Royalty, & Earbuds."
Hear-It: "The History of Hearing Aids."
IEEE: "Hearing Aid History: From Ear Trumpets to Digital Technology."
Mayo Clinic: "Hearing Aids: How to Choose the Right One."
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: "Hearing Aids."
The Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh: "Everything You Need to Know About Hearing Aids."
University of Washington: "Hearing Aid Technology."
