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performance of this feature when compared to what is available in the hearing aid industry. The feature’s performance is at the highest level of what is available in the industry. Small = Hearing aids that use size 10A batteries Medium = Hearing aids that use 312 batteries Large = Hearing aids that use size 13 batteries Full size = These hearing aids use size13 batteries and have larger components for higher power. Wind noise is an important feature for those that spend time in the outdoors by reducing the roar of wind across the microphone. This feature is improving but is not effective in gusty wind conditions. Microphones are the electronic component that picks up sound. Microphones are very small and can be made to pick up more sound in one direction than all others. This is called a directional microphone. Remote controls for hearing aids are small enough to comfortably fit in a pocket. A remote control will enable more functions than can be put on a hearing aid itself. Controls on hearing aids usually have one or more of: 1 A momentary button used to change from one memory to the next 2 A button used to increase the level of volume 3 A rocker switch where pushing on one end does one function while the other end does another function 4 A wheel that will control volume For a hearing aid to be classified as Totally Automatic, the device will have the ability to choose from multiple memory settings (based on programmed noise settings) chosen solely by the hearing aid. Volume control is generally considered to be a manual adjustment that the user can control. All hearing aids have automatic gain control designed to make soft sounds audible and loud sounds tolerable. This is done automatically within limits programmed into the device. Multiple memory settings can be programmed into the aid to give the user the ability to cope with changing sound and noise environments with the push of a button. RIC (receiver-in-the-canal) hearing aids have the speaker located at the end of the tube that goes into the ear canal rather than in the body of the hearing aid and then “piped” into the ear canal. RIC hearing aids have slightly higher fidelity of sound, but have higher level of maintenance, as well. Human speech ranges in frequencies roughly from 250 to 6000 Hz. Hearing aids are built so that this group of frequencies (250 to 6000 Hz) is divided into smaller groups, called bands or channels. The overall spectrum of frequencies can be controlled individually, and each of the smaller bands/channels can also be controlled individually. The two most common technologies used in hearing aids are analog and digital. Digital is newer and considered to be much more flexible, capable of doing more operations, and the only technology used in modern hearing aids. A Better rating means this feature is included, and is at least a second-generation version. The feature’s performance is at the average level of what is available in the industry. Conventional Hearing Aid Batteries cost less than a dollar per battery and are very easy to change. DAI is only on Large and Full Size hearing aids due to the need for terminals on the outside of the case. Using DAI allows other devices to connect directly to the hearing aids and input their audio signal. Being able to couple your hearing aids with a BlueTooth-enabled device, such as a cell phone, allows phone conversations to be heard through your hearing aids. Communication from one hearing aid to the other is a very low strength signal designed to keep both hearing aids operating in the same mode at the same volume. Telecoils help with telephones that are rated hearing aid compatible. This feature helps make hearing aids acoustically comfortable by ramping up sudden loud noises, such as a dropped dish. Acoustic Feedback, is also known as squealing, buzzing, ‘your aids are talking to you’, etc. Technology to separate voices from other sounds is continuously being improved. Each manufacturer has a patented process and trademarked name for noise reduction. |
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