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Bluetooth Technology and How It's Used in Hearing Aids
by Dr. Jamie Gilgren
Hearing Rehab Center, Longmont |
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Over the past two years, Bluetooth technology has gained momentum in the hearing aid industry. You may recognize Bluetooth by these other names: MediaLink, ConnectLine, Streamer (pictured), iCom, and Voiis. Bluetooth is the name of a wireless technology standard for connecting electronic devices.
Bluetooth technology allows us to turn our hearing aids into a wireless headset enabling us to hear in-stereo while talking on the phone, listening to TV, or listening to music. Bluetooth connects and exchanges information between electronic devices such as cell phones and hearing aids, television and hearing aids, landline phones and hearing aids, and MP3 devices and hearing aids.
Bluetooth devices in the house are always communicating with one another as long as their power is turned on. The communication between devices is not impeded by walls or floors, therefore, if your phone rings in your house, you can answer the phone without physically picking up the phone. You simply push a button to accept the call through the hearing aids. If you are watching your favorite football team and decide to use the restroom, you will still hear the game through the hearing aids while in the restroom. This happens because your hearing aids and the television each send out a signal that the other receives automatically.
All Hearing Rehab Center offices have Bluetooth technology available for demonstration. The sound quality and clarity from cell phones, landline phones, television, or your iPod is amazing for any hearing loss. It is very difficult to describe the impressive hearing improvement Bluetooth offers. You must listen to it and hear the difference!
On a side note, do not get Bluetooth confused with FM as many people do. An FM system is another type of wireless technology that helps people better understand speech in noisy situations. An FM system is most commonly used in the classroom. Whoever is speaking either wears or holds a microphone or the microphone is placed in the middle of the group. The microphone sends the person's voice directly to a tiny attachment on the bottom of the hearing aids bypassing background noise.
There are many options available to those with hearing loss, and technology is improving on a constant basis. To learn more about Bluetooth technology, call your nearest location and schedule a demonstration of the latest to see how you can live wirelessly. |
