The 7 must-have features in new hearing aids
Hearing aid technology has increased considerably over the years with even basic digital hearing aids offering massive benefits over the best hearing aids of a decade ago.
So, if you were to buy a pair of hearing aids today what are the ‘must-have’ features to ensure you benefit from the best that technology can offer and how can they improve your hearing health?
We give you seven of the best below.
Rechargeable batteries and dedicated phone apps are just two must-have features
Bluetooth Connectivity – Although Bluetooth is nearly 20 years old it is only in the past few years that it has become widely available in hearing aids. Bluetooth offers you the ability to connect with your mobile phone and make and receive calls directly through the aids. The technology also allows you to connect to other devices such as TV’s and music players acting as your personal headphones.
Rechargeable batteries – Battery technology has made leaps and bounds in recent years and many hearing aids now have a rechargeable option. They automatically come with a portable charging carry case for added convenience and many are giving more than 30 hours of use before a recharge is required.
And if you add in the fact that you won’t be buying replacement batteries or having to fiddle about replacing them into your aids and the rechargeable route is compelling.
Smartphone App – To be fair it is difficult to buy a new pair of hearing aids without there being an App supporting it but it really is a game changer. A good example is when you are leaving home to go to the pub or restaurant, just access the App and adjust the settings appropriate to that environment.
Most hearing aids work with Apple and Android. Most hearing aid brands have similar App features with more options available as you go upwards in price.
Artificial Intelligence for Background Noise Reduction – Too much background noise can make having a conversation difficult to follow, with words being missed or just unintelligible. With state of the art audio processors the very latest hearing aids are able to filter out this background noise giving you a more natural and enjoyable hearing experience.
Advanced Speech Clarity – As hearing aid users already know, hearing loss is not necessarily an issue with volume, it’s an issue with clarity. And artificial intelligence has a role to play here as well, dramatically improving speech understanding like never before. Additionally some aids offer features such as echo adjustment, directionality and spatial configurators, all meant to give the best speech clarity in every environment.
Own Voice Processing – This is a relatively new technology where the hearing aid user’s own voice is detected and processed separately to external sounds. This means that for the first time you will be able to hear your own voice in a more natural way.
360 Degree Sound – We naturally hear in 360 degrees which is ‘blunted’ by wearing hearing aids. Many new hearing aids now have motion and acoustic sensors that help deliver a more realistic 360 degree hearing experience, wherever you are. The sensors are designed to mimic how the brain naturally processes information, helping it to understand sound directionality and giving you a more natural experience.
If you would like to hear for yourself how these ‘must-have’ features can unlock a better and more natural hearing experience why not book in with us for a free demo. Depending on what hearing aids you currently have it is quite likely that you will discover more than the 7 features that we mention above.
We offer up to 45 days as a trial period for all new hearing aids.
It was good to know what other types of hearing aids are about. The NHS ones I have just keep screening in my ear every time I get near to something solid, like the seat belt in the car, and are so annoying I don’t wear them anymore. I am retired now so can I book an appointment with you sometime? I live in Wickford, so Chelmsford or Ramsden Heath would be good. thanks, Peter Law.