What is a hearing aid?
A hearing aid is a battery-powered, electronic device that amplifies sounds loud enough to be heard comfortably by a hearing-impaired individual. A hearing aid consists of a microphone, an amplifier and a receiver.
How do they work?
Roll your mouse over the diagram for a step-by-step explanation.
Sound Entry (Input)
The microphone picks up sound (acoustic energy) which travels through the air. In the amplifier, the acoustic energy is converted into a series of electrical signals. Once converted, an analog to digital (A/D) converter changes these electrical signals into binary numbers or digits (0's and 1's).
Processing
These binary numbers are analyzed and manipulated by the digital chip (DSP) to perform precise, complex actions. This digital stream of numbers is then converted back into an electrical signal by the digital to analog (D/A) converter.
Sound Exit (Output)
The receiver changes the electrical signals back into acoustic signals, which are sent down the ear canal to the ear drum.
The whole process happens very rapidly: there are several million calculations occurring in the hearing aid per second.
