Hearing Aids

The History of Hearing Aids

• Hearing aid time line:

1880Ős - first hearing aid developed.

1900 - first electric aids invented.

1920 - first electronic aids come in use.

1930 - first wearable vacuum-tube aids on the market.

1940 - mercury battery invented, decreasing the size of the hearing aid.

1952 - first transistors invented, but were very fragile.

mid 1950Ős - junction transistors came out, changing hearing aid technology.

mid 1990Ős - digital aids, that change to the environment and comfort level of the wearer, come to the market

Alexander Graham Bell is considered the father of hearing aids, although his attempt to create one ended in the invention of the telephone. The first hearing aids were invented in the 1880Ős. They consisted of small horns that wrapped around the ear or were hidden in the handle of a cane, but these hearing aids only raised the users hearing level 10 to 15 decibels. It was not until around 1900 that the first electrical hearing aids were developed. These aids were large awkward boxes that were impossible to carry. In the 1920Ős, electronic aids were developed. These vacuum-tube aids were also large, bulky and impractical to lug around. It was not until the 1930Ős that wearable sized aids were invented. These carbon amplified hearing aids consisted of two batteries, carbon granules that amplified the sound, a microphone and receiver. They were redesigned to amplify more sound, to correct up to 30 to 35 decibels, but had a separate battery pack. the main problem with these aids is that they were noisy and would turn off if the wearer bent over or sat down. In the 1940Ős, mercury batteries came out, reducing the size of aids still further, but hearing aids still used tubes to amplify, causing the aids to still be worn on the body. One major breakthrough for hearing aid manufacturers and users was the invention of the transistors in 1952. Within a few years, junction transistors that were not as delicate and would run off a mercury battery, appeared. Since the 1950Ős, hearing aids have become increasing smaller. New features, such as the volume control and improved microphones have appeared on the market. today, some hearing aids are small enough to fit in a personŐs ear canal. Hearing aid technology is constantly increasing and growing.

Hearing Aids Today

Today's hearing aid technology is much better than the first trumpet aids of the early 1900's. Recently, new digital hearing aids that can adjust the volume to the comfort of the wearer have appeared on the market. While these aids are still being developed, they have a very promising future. Currently, most hearing aid users use a in-the-ear or behind-the-ear model. These aids have become increasingly smaller and more advanced. The only caution experts give is that the smaller the hearing aid, the more often and more likely it will break. But the benefit of wearing these hearing aids way outweighs the problem of frequent repairs. There are five main part of a hearing aid. They are the microphone, the amplifier, the receiver, the battery, and the earmold. The microphone picks up the sound and changes it to an electric signal. The amplifier amplifies the signal and the receiver changes the signal back to understandable sound. The battery powers the aids and the earmold gives the amplified sound to the ear and holds the aid in place. Not all hearing aids have an earmold, such as ones made for conduction hearing loss. Instead, they transport sound through an vibrator that gives the sound to the bones behind the ear.

The information in this webpage came from The World Book Encyclopedia, 1995, Grolier Interactive Inc. 1997 and Handbook of Clinical Audiology, by Jack Katz, Ph.D, 1972 Here is my penpal addition to my webpage:

Penpal information

I asked my penpals for information on the hearing aid ("I'm doing a project on hearing aids for a computer project and I was wondering if you knew any interesting facts about the hearing aid."), and this is what they answered: Betty Shea: "I think that mine are electronic friendly. They hear radios and other mechanical and electronis noises better than they hear people." Roni Schalman: "The only thing I know to share is that there are wonderful advancements is the size of hearing aids that have helped those who would not otherwise have worn them due to how big they were to now feel better about themselves because the hearing aids are not as obvious. I'm sure it has opened a whole new world to those who were embarrassed before." From the older student: The hearing aid has 5 parts traditionally. The microphone, the amplifier, a receiver, a battery and an earmold. there are 2 types of hearing aids, mainly. The air-condition aid and the bone-conducting aid. I would go into more detail about them, but I dont want to bore you. Hearing aids have been used since the 1600's. The first hearing aids used a horn-shaped device to gather sound and funnel it into the ear. Electric aids first appeared about 1900. Electronic aids first appeared about 1920, in the form of a vacuum-tube aid. At first, as I have heard, they were bulky and inconvenient, but by 1930, they became more wearable. well, I hope that helps you.