Bluetooth Hearing Aids can improve our ability to hear far more clearly in two ways. One way is by sharing important information with each other when worn as a pair and another is by streaming sounds directly from Bluetooth compatible electronic devices such as mobile phones, TV’s, laptops or mp 3 players.
Bluetooth technology was first used in mobile phones for transferring data from one phone to another or to be paired to portable hands free devices. Things have certainly moved on since then and now Bluetooth technology is widely used in surround sound systems and now in the most advanced digital hearing aids.
The problem for lots of people who wear hearing aids can be listening to electronically generated sounds from devices such as telephones and televisions. In fact even people with normal hearing can sometimes struggle to hear certain programs on the television with total clarity. One of the major reasons for this is the difficulty of listening to the speech on programs with any music or back ground noises being present at the same time. The music or noise can drown out certain parts of spoken words making it more difficult to clearly hear what is being said. Watching TV with an unaided hearing loss compounds this problem, taking away the users enjoyment at the same time. Although the most up to date hearing aids cleverly filter unwanted sounds for a better understanding of speech when listening in noise, they cannot deal with the natural reduction of sound as it travels. In other words the further the distance we are away from the speaker, the quieter we will hear it. Having a Bluetooth hearing aids with a streamer prevents the dissipation of sounds by sending the sounds directly to the hearing aids without losing any volume or clarity that would be otherwise eroded by travelling through the air. There are may types of streamers for different uses and with different features. Please tell your dispenser what your needs are so that the correct systems are chosen to deal with them properly.
Oticon Connectline Streamer (below) above (Widex remote control/TV streamer and mobile streamer)
Bluetooth hearing aids technology was introduced into hearing aids about 3 years ago and improves your ability to hear more clearly, when using compatible devices such as mobile phones, television, laptops, music systems or mp3 players. Bluetooth is not just limited to behind the ear hearing aids (BTE) but is also available in other styles of hearing aid such as in the ear (I.T.E.) or receiver in the canal hearing aids (R.I.C.).
Widex have recently introduced their own Bluetooth streamers such as the RC-DEX, (illustrated above), which is their remote control. The remote control allows different environmental programs to be used such as their ZEN tinnitus relaxation program and also allows the use of a volume control. Widex also have a blue tooth streamer called M-DEX which streams speech directly into your hearing aids from your mobile phone. The Widex TV-DEX can stream sounds directly from your television and can also be used for streaming via your music system.
Widex Bluetooth Phone (below)
Phonak also have a very strong presence in the wireless hearing aid Bluetooth technology market with their NEW com Pilot streamer (shown below), that is used in conjunction with mobile phones.
Television streamers are also available as to is their My Pilot that has an L.C.D screen and offers a superb range of zoom functions to greatly improve your listening experience when in noise.
Resound also offer Bluetooth hearing aids within their Virto range of hearing aids that come in 2 levels of technology. The come with a selection of blue tooth streamers that can connect to Mobile phones and Television.
Bluetooth hearing aids technology can provide much needed improvements to your hearing, when you have difficulty, even with your hearing aids when using the telephone or watching TV, but do bear in mind that your hearing aids may well do everything that you need them to do without these wonderful innovative devices. It is then perhaps good advice to have the functionality of Bluetooth installed in your hearing aids but don’t rush out to buy something you may not need or even use.
For more information on Bluetooth hearing aids or any other of our hearing aids and products call us today free on 0800 0304 542
