Hearing aids have advanced dramatically throughout the last 10-15 years.
As each year goes by, hearing aids become smaller, more discreet, and more efficient at enhancing sound. They also come well equipped with a variety of innovative features, including the ability to connect with other devices wirelessly, which is what we’ll be reviewing today.
Here’s how wireless technology works and how you can benefit.
How Bluetooth technology works
Bluetooth is a standardized wireless communication platform that allows devices to communicate with each other through radio waves. A wide variety of products integrates Bluetooth technology, such as smartphones, music players, tablets, computers, and televisions.
Have you ever seen someone speaking on their phone using a hands-free headset? Or someone taking a call from their cell phone using their car audio system? That’s Bluetooth technology in action.
So can you purchase a Bluetooth hearing aid?
Yes and no. Bluetooth technology demands a greater power supply than can be granted by hearing aid batteries. But there is a workaround, and in fact, there are two.
Your options for wireless hearing aids
Hearing aids do not incorporate Bluetooth technology directly because, as we mentioned, it would deplete the battery too quickly. Fortunately, manufacturers solved this problem a while ago by creating an intermediary between the hearing aid and the Bluetooth device (phone, television, computer, etc.). This intermediary is called either a “streamer” or an “assistive listening device.”
Here’s how it works: your Bluetooth enabled cell phone communicates wirelessly to the streamer which then sends the signal to the hearing aid without draining the hearing aid battery.
So, if you’re looking for wireless hearing aids, you have two primary options:
- Hearing aids paired with an assistive listening device – as outlined above, the assistive listening device, or streamer, which is a small hand-held device, acts as an intermediary between the Bluetooth device and the hearing aid.
- Made for iPhone hearing aids – several hearing aid models are branded as “Made for iPhone,” which basically means that the iPhone acts as the streamer itself, connecting directly with the hearing aid.
Your hearing care professional can help you decide which option is right for you.
The advantages of wireless hearing aids
Whether using a streamer or a Made for iPhone hearing aid, there are quite a few perks to going wireless, including:
- Improved music listening experience – think about streaming your favorite music from your iPhone or portable music player directly to your hearing aids. This way,, your hearing aids become a pair of high-quality earbuds.
- Hands-free phone calls – answering phone calls with no hands is more convenient and having the sound stream straight to the hearing aids provides better sound quality.
- Crisper TV sound – streaming the audio from your computer, tablet, or television results in clearer sound and superior speech comprehension from movies and TV shows. You’ll never struggle to understand dialogue again.
- Enhanced gym experience – listen to your favorite podcasts or music at the gym without any wires getting in the way.
- Customized control – inconspicuously adjust your hearing aid volume and settings by using your wireless remote control or iPhone (with compatible models).
- Connection to hearing loops – hearing aids fit with telecoils can connect to hearing loop systems in public venues like auditoriums, theaters, and courts.
Interested in upgrading to wireless hearing aids? Contact us today for additional information.