{"id":3290,"date":"2014-05-08T10:47:57","date_gmt":"2014-05-08T10:47:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/50.63.138.122\/~ahs\/?p=3290"},"modified":"2022-06-07T12:40:39","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T19:40:39","slug":"hearing-aids-made-iphone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/hearing-aids-made-iphone\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Aids Made for iPhone?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you know that there are new hearing aids that can connect directly to your iPhone?<\/h3>\n

Hearing aids have come a long way in the past few decades\u2026and now they\u2019re beginning to cross a new frontier. <\/p>\n

Hearing instruments, such as the Starkey Halo, are now being categorized as \u201cMade for iPhone\u201d and they are more sophisticated than ever. <\/p>\n

If we take the advanced digital signal processing that has become available in modern hearing aids, then combine it with the power of the iPhone\u2026well, the possibilities seem endless! <\/p>\n

Not only can hearing aids automatically adjust themselves<\/a> based on the environment, the\u00a0iPhone now\u00a0allows the user to route all sorts of audio straight through their hearing aids. Right now it\u2019s only available in certain hearing aid models, and they are only compatible with the iPhone. <\/p>\n

However, other hearing aid brands and other smartphones will undoubtedly be getting in on the action before too long.
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What should we expect from this sort of technology?<\/h3>\n

While it\u2019s not a new thing for hearing aids to synchronize with cell phones and other audio devices, it has always been a challenge for manufacturers to build a hearing aid that connects DIRECTLY to these other devices. <\/p>\n

Typically, there was a \u201cmiddle-man\u201d type of device (i.e., Streamer<\/a>)\u00a0which received the signal from your phone (or audio device), and then sent the signal to the hearing aids. <\/p>\n

Of course, these options are still available\u2026but if you have an iPhone (5s, 5c, 5, or\u00a04s) you can now connect the hearing aids directly to the iPhone. <\/p>\n

That means that everything from phone calls to music streaming goes straight into your ears \u2013 BOTH ears \u2013 and gives you the benefit of hands free listening, without having to wear an additional device to stream the sound. <\/p>\n

And it\u2019s not just the iPhone\u2026iPod\u00a0Touch (5th generation)\u00a0and iPads (4th generation,\u00a0iPad Air, and\u00a0iPad mini)\u00a0are also compatible. We use\u00a0these devices for phone calls, watching videos on YouTube, streaming music, connecting with family\/friends on FaceTime, etc\u2026and now they are able to stream the sound straight through a hearing instrument that has been custom programming for the user\u2019s hearing loss.<\/p>\n

So\u2026what does this mean?<\/h3>\n

Quite simply, everything boils down to clarity. Clarity for speech is arguably the number one desire of individuals with hearing loss. <\/p>\n

Whether we\u2019re talking about one-on-one conversation, dialogue on a movie\/video, a phone call, or hearing the lyrics to your favorite song\u2026no one wants it to be \u201cgarbled\u201d. Unfortunately, hearing loss often causes just that: garbled sound. <\/p>\n

Current hearing aid technology\u00a0can\u00a0do a fantastic job of providing better clarity\u2026but there are still limitations. If we think about what is going on, especially in terms of sound and acoustics, we realize that the process looks like this:<\/p>\n

The Old\u00a0Process<\/h4>\n

Sound comes out of\u00a0a speaker (perhaps\u00a0a call from the\u00a0iPhone, or music from the iPod,\u00a0or\u00a0YouTube video from the iPad),\u00a0and it\u00a0fades a bit and also\u00a0mixes with noise and reverberation in the environment\u2026all of which\u00a0are bad things. <\/p>\n

The sound is then\u00a0picked up by the microphone of the hearing aid, which processes the signal according to the user\u2019s hearing loss and then sends the sound out of\u00a0its own speaker into the ear.<\/p>\n

Compare that to this:<\/p>\n

The New Process<\/h4>\n

Sound is sent (wirelessly) to the hearing aid, which processes the signal according to the user\u2019s\u00a0hearing loss and then sends the sound out of its own speaker into the ear.<\/p>\n

A bit oversimplified? Maybe. But the point is that the new process is obviously much more efficient\u2026and efficiency is good when we\u2019re trying to maintain a good sound quality and provide good clarity.<\/p>\n

Is it REALLY <\/em>that big of a deal?<\/h3>\n

Short answer: Yes.<\/p>\n

Consider how often we use our cell phones throughout the day. Also consider the fact that\u00a0we use our cell phones for so much more than just calling our friends and family. <\/p>\n

We use them to watch videos while waiting for our oil to be changed. We use them for GPS and navigation while driving. We use them for video chat. <\/p>\n

We use them for music while jogging. Business and pleasure. Getting things done,\u00a0or\u00a0relaxing. <\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t matter what we\u2019re doing, it seems we always have these devices nearby to help us do it\u2026and that\u2019s just the cell phone. <\/p>\n

Add in MP3 players and tablets, and there is an entire world of connectivity. In fact, there is another use that is almost exclusive to hearing aid users. <\/p>\n

The iPhone can be used as a microphone, so their voice is streamed straight into these new\u00a0hearing aids. <\/p>\n

In other words, if someone is in a restaurant and\u00a0wearing the Starkey made-for-iPhone Halo hearing aids, they can hand their iPhone to someone across the table so that they can hear them over all of the background chatter.<\/p>\n

One more thing\u2026<\/h3>\n

As if all of this wasn\u2019t impressive enough, the iPhone can also serve as a remote control for these new hearing instruments. <\/p>\n

So the user can have a broad variety of adjustments (such as volume control, or customized programs for certain listening environments). <\/p>\n

Those types of adjustments used to be via buttons on the hearing aids, or an extra remote that the user had to carry around. But now\u2026well, there\u2019s an app for that.<\/p>\n

Just like any technological advancement, there are likely going to be kinks that need to be worked out. However, this type of\u00a0technology will undoubtedly be a HUGE factor in encouraging more and more people to address their hearing loss. And that\u2019s a good thing.<\/p>\n

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Related Hearing Aids Posts:<\/h3>\n