Simply put, the goal of an audiologist is re-connection. Hearing loss sufferers cannot fully understand all that they are missing. As hearing loss increases, social withdrawal deepens, isolation worsens, and relationships suffer. Therefore, an audiologist seeks to re-connect the hearing loss sufferer to all they are missing- relationships, social interactions, hobbies, etc. Multi-directional microphones in modern hearing aids help an audiologist in this endeavor.
Multi-directional microphones significantly improve an individual's ability to hear speech in the presence of background noise. As you may know, hearing loss sufferer's often avoid difficult listening environments (like restaurants) because they cannot engage in conversation. If a hearing aid is equipped with one microphone, every sound in the environment is made louder. However, if a hearing aid is equipped with two microphones, one mic can amplify speech while the other reduces background noise. Many hearing aids are also equipped with the ability to focus the microphones on speech coming from multiple directions. The hearing aids sense the direction the speech is originating from and focus in that particular direction while also eliminating amplification for general background noise. This means that hearing aids at certain technology levels can focus on speech coming from beside or behind the hearing aid wearer. Whether the hearing aid wearer is having a conversation in the car, working alongside people in a noisy environment, or sitting in a wheelchair, these hearing aids can amplify speech being communicated from beside and/or behind the hearing aid wearer.
Other features of modern hearing aids that help re-connect hearing loss sufferers to relationships and social activities include multi-channel and customized programming, automatic telephone use, volume controls, and FM system compatibility. More on these features in future blogs...
For more information on multi-directional microphones and their advantages, read this informative article from The Hearing Review.
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