Challenges in Graphene Based Speaker used for Hearing Aids

Abstract

Hearing aid is a device designed to improve ability of hearing by making sound audible to a person suffering from hearing impairment. There are numerous varieties of hearing aids on the market which are used to enhance the speech signals for such hearing impaired. High sound pressure level (SPL) and low power consumption are two factors that can boost the effectiveness of hearing aids during continuous use. Around half of the power used by hearing aids is used by the speaker, one of their key components. Recently, Graphene has attracted great interest among the researchers in the field of material science, nanotechnology. Graphene has unique properties in terms of flexibility, conductivity, mechanical strength, maximum frequency and power consumption which overcome some of the main limitations of traditional material used in hearing aids such as myler. For audio applications, graphene’s capacity to produce a one atom thick layer is advantageous. SPL can be increased by using graphene as a membrane since it has a greater mechanical response to a given sound pressure. Thus graphene based diaphragm is very much reliable and suitable for designing speakers used in hearing aids. But due to the fine structure of graphene there is need of going through various challenges in designing graphene-based speakers used in hearing aids. This paper discusses various techniques used and the recent advancement done by introducing graphene in speaker used for hearing aids. Based on comparative study, challenges occurred in graphene based speaker used for hearing aids are discussed along with remedial solution.