To start, the first fully digital hearing aids appeared on the market in 1996. They revolutionized the world of hearing health by allowing more precise adjustments and improving sound quality.
The Evolution of Technology
Over 20 Years
Dome
Like many other technologies, research and development of hearing aid technology is progressing rapidly. Indeed, increasingly miniaturized and sophisticated electronic circuits are helping to improve the lives of hearing-impaired people. Let’s take a look back at the major breakthroughs of the last two decades.
Michelle Fournier Audioprosthetist practising in Lévis
Karl Drouin Audioprosthetist practising in Beauce
Tube
Hearing aid
In 2004, the open-fit hearing aid was introduced. The electronic circuit, located behind the ear, amplifies and transmits the sound into the ear canal via a very thin tube. The tube is held in place by a dome. This type of hearing aid was designed for people with hearing loss that affects only high-pitched sounds, so it allows low-pitched sounds the user hears normally to pass through naturally. It reduces the “plugged” feeling (occlusion) caused by an earmold that is too tight for this type of hearing loss. Audioprosthetists now had a discreet, comfortable, and suitable solution to offer to patients affected by occupational deafness and other conditions. That was a first!
An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.
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