What is a hearing aid? A hearing aid is a battery-powered,
electronic device that amplifies sounds loud enough to be heard comfortably by a hearing-impaired individual.
A hearing aid consists of a microphone, an amplifier and a receiver.
How do they work?
Roll your mouse over the diagram for a step-by-step explanation.
Sound Entry (Input) The microphone
picks up sound (acoustic energy) which travels through the air. In the amplifier, the acoustic energy
is converted into a series of electrical
signals. Once converted, an analog to digital (A/D) converter changes these electrical signals into
binary numbers or digits (0's and 1's).
Processing These binary numbers are analyzed
and manipulated by the digital chip (DSP) to perform precise, complex actions. This digital stream of
numbers is then converted back into an electrical signal by the digital to analog (D/A) converter.
Sound Exit (Output) The receiver changes the
electrical signals back into acoustic signals, which are sent down the ear canal to the ear drum.
The whole process happens very rapidly: there are several million calculations occurring
in the hearing aid per second.
