A new method for wireless connectivity in hearing aids

Abstract

In this era of wireless connectivity, the way we use technology to interact and communicate with each other has changed our perception of the world around us. Happily, hearing aids are no longer an exception, as these devices have become more than just sophisticated signal processors designed to amplify speech. For many patients with hearing loss, a hearing aid is not only a personal communication device, but also a gateway to media connectivity and greater convenience in communication. Today’s digital wireless protocols allow for wireless communication between hearing aids and from hearing aids to numerous forms of media devices. Some of these offerings use frequencies that allow for far-field signal transmission, while others focus on near-field communication. A wide array of frequencies is available for wireless data and audio transmission; the transmission and reception of these signals is performed by small radios embedded in the hearing aids and remote devices. This article will focus on the wireless communication ability of currently available hearing aids, which, at the time of this publication, function in one of three different frequency bands: 3to 15-MHz near-field magnetic induction; 2.4-GHz industrial scientific medical band; and 900-MHz industrial scientific medical band.