What are the latest advancements in Hearing Aid Technology

We are communicating and connecting differently around the world right now, and technology hasn't left the medical world untouched. While hearing aids and other hearing issues are usually left behind, hearing aid manufacturers are catching up with the available technology on the market now. This has lead to some pretty exciting developments in hearing aids, enabling those with hearing loss and other hearing issues to benefit from technology in the same way different medical needs do. Your audiologist should be able to tell you everything that's available for you in terms of new technology so that you get the best hearing aid possible for your needs. Let's take a look through some of the latest advances in technology for hearing aids.

Connecting to the internet

Hearing aids are being developed to connect to the internet through the Internet of Things. This is a system that allows individual devices to communicate with each other and connect. In the same way, you can now turn on smart lighting with an app on your phone, hearing aids that connect to the internet work similarly. Almost every device connects to the internet now, and most of these use alarms and sound alerts to tell you if something is wrong. However, if you need a hearing aid, this alert can easily be overlooked, which can have dangerous consequences. With a hearing aid that connects to the internet, alarms can go directly into the hearing aid and alerts you promptly to issues around you.

Connecting to Bluetooth

A lot of devices, particularly sports trackers and cameras, can connect to Bluetooth. Hearing aids have been able to wirelessly connect to Apple products via Bluetooth for some time now, which allows a hearing aid wearer to hear their smartphone when they need to. It's known as "Made for iPhone" as it was primarily developed through Apple. Having conversations through the smartphone is far more comfortable with Bluetooth technology. There are hearing aid manufacturers out there that have created specific Bluetooth devices allowing you to connect to every mobile phone, tablet and smartphone. This means that hearing capabilities will go beyond Apple products, and any hearing aid user can then connect, adjust the volume of their hearing aid without help and use an app to do so. This app can enable you to change the volume and settings whichever environment that you may be in, maximizing your hearing easily.

Hearing aid batteries

Hearing aid batteries currently last between three and ten days in life, but new rechargeable hearing aids are coming into the market to allow you to have a charge that can be done overnight. There are some disadvantages to this, though. Hearing aids would have to be sent in their entirety for repair if the battery needs looking at, and this can be a burden if you don't have a spare. However, rechargeable hearing aids are an excellent option for those who struggle with changing the battery.

Tele-Audiology

We are more able to access healthcare now than we ever have been before, and the way we continue to access this healthcare is going to change over the next decade. There is more pressure on innovation for technology than ever before, and hearing aid services are moving away from the traditional methods for an appointment and embracing technology in a way other avenues aren't caught up to yet. Most appointments are still being held during the week in audiology, which makes it difficult for the average worker to get the time to check out their hearing. With tele-audiology, people can update the settings of their hearing aids remotely, without making much effort. Fitness trackers are one piece of health technology that is already able to do this, and hearing aids are being made with similar technology to update those settings. 

Your audiologist can walk you through everything you need to know about updating settings remotely. You can then start to send real-time snapshots of your settings to your audiologist if you have any concerns. This way, your audiologist can adjust your hearing aid remotely, too. This allows you to have an appointment from anywhere, getting the help you need quickly and without interruption to your working week. Finally, you can send issues to your audiologist without waiting around for an appointment, enabling an audiologist to give you a helping hand from anywhere.

To get more information about your hearing aid needs, book your appointment with an audiologist now by contacting Hinderliter Hearing Services and calling this phone number: 248-430-8425.