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by Chris Reese
High DEFINITION
Hearing is Here
The fact that hearing loss affects baby
boomers, young adults, teenagers, children
and even infants still surprises
many people who incorrectly assume you have
to be elderly to have any problems with your
hearing.
Although age is the most common factor in
hearing loss, there are millions of people of all
ages who deal with various degrees of hearing
loss. And there are millions more who are
unaware or in denial about the fact that they
have lost some part of their hearing. In the
past, many of these people would be frustrated
when they became aware of their hearing loss
because the hearing products available to help
were limited in what they could do and did not
have the capabilities the majority of people
sought.
The marvels of today’s technology, coupled
with an environment that is constantly
becoming noisier, has led to the development
of hearing aids which deliver an astonishingly
realistic sound quality. By looking at a progression
of how hearing aids have evolved, and the
new technologies now available, you will be
informed and able to make good choices
regarding your hearing loss.
The First Wave
of Digital Hearing Instruments
In the mid-1990s the hearing aid industry was
drastically changed when the world’s first digital
in-the-ear (ITE) hearing system was
introduced. It was called Senso because it
could “sense” different listening environments
automatically and quickly adjust itself to the
needs of the person who was wearing it. This
instrument ushered in the fully digital age to
an industry whose products previously consisted
of analog technology.
These digital instruments (the smallest of
which was subsequently displayed in the
Smithsonian Institution) helped set a new
standard in hearing amplification. They were
soon followed by Super Power digital models
which were the first instruments to bring the
benefits of fully digital signal processing and
automatic performance to adults and children
with severe-to-profound hearing losses.
However, it is time for another dramatic
change. Just as there are “high definition
television sets,” there is now a new hearing
instrument that “thinks” and offers high definition
hearing to those who have a hearing
loss.
This breakthrough is called Senso Diva*, a
directionally-intelligent hearing aid designed to
help most hearing losses. It offers both outstanding
features and completely automatic
performance without awkward remote
controls.
Just as technology has advanced computer
applications, technology is now taking on the
challenging task of automatically assisting
people to hear better. The challenge is to help
people in environments that can range from a
quiet evening to loud concerts and noisy
restaurants, where a variety of sounds are coming
from different directions.
To better understand the differences
between today and even 10 years ago, you can
use the analogy of comparing the first basic
video games (Pong, etc.) to today’s more
advanced virtual reality games. Modern video
games have exceptional 3-D graphics, fast
action and realistic sound effects. The same
kind of quantum leap forward has taken place
with today's directionally intelligent hearing
aids. They are complex hearing devices that are
far more advanced, precise and beneficial. They stand alone in achieving a new level of sound reproduction in a wide variety of listening situations.
“This is potentially the greatest advancement in the history of
hearing aids,” said Larry Eng, a San Francisco
audiologist. “One of the things I noticed most
is the realistic sound replication. It sounds as if
you aren’t wearing a hearing aid at all. I think
the best compliment to any hearing aid is that it
sounds very natural.”
Directional Intelligence™
Directional Intelligence was one of the key
reasons this technology was named Diva.
It combines the advanced dual microphone
technology with the sophisticated digital signal
processing techniques to bring you the Diva
Locator with Adaptive Beamforming. This
enables the hearing aid to locate noise sources
and automatically adjusts its microphone
directionality to minimize the noise source so
you can hear better in most listening
situations.
It also has an Opti-Mic system that continuously
calibrates its dual microphones so you
can be assured of their optimal performance all
the time. Because the directional effect is
ensured with the Opti-Mic system, more
consistent and effective reduction of background
noise can be achieved. The combination
of these features are far more complex
than any existing hearing aids. The Opti-Mic
system feature is available in in-the-ear and
behind-the-ear models.
Automatically Maximizes Listening
Comfort and Speech Intelligibility
One of the most important reasons people consider
any type of hearing instrument is to hear
the family members, friends and coworkers
who are trying to speak to them.
Directionally-intelligent digital hearing aids
work to recognize and enhance speech. They
take in sounds and quickly convert them into a
series of numbers. The tiny computer chip
inside then quickly processes and arranges that
series of numbers many millions of times per
second to make soft sounds audible and loud
sounds comfortable, while background noise is
reduced automatically.
Processes Sounds in 15 Channels
Directionally intelligent hearing instruments
are developed to provide precise amplification
of sounds to meet specific wearer needs. This is
achieved through the use of a 15-channel signal
processor with an important anti-smearing feature.
This technology implements discrete
adjustments to very narrow frequency (pitch)
regions and will work to prevent “smearing,”
which can negatively affect sound quality. Antismearing,
in combination with the many other
Diva features, results in clear sound reproduction
and specific amplification tailored to your
hearing loss.
Revolutionary Noise Reduction
The advanced noise reduction system used in
Diva instruments constantly analyzes incoming
sounds in order to distinguish between speech
and noise so they can be processed optimally.
When the results of the analysis suggest noise,
amplification will be reduced to increase hearing
comfort. When the results of the analysis
suggest speech, the appropriate amplification is
maintained. When speech is identified in the
presence of noise, the Enhanced Speech
Intensification System (e-S.I.S.) will work to
preserve speech intelligibility while minimizing
the effect of noise. This results in improved listening
comfort in everyday situations while
emphasizing speech over background noise.
Canceling Annoying Feedback (Whistling)
Diva instruments have the ability to reduce
feedback (whistling) before you can hear it.
Anyone who has ever worn a hearing aid can
tell you that situations like speaking on the telephone
or chewing are most likely to result in
feedback problems. The adaptive feedback
cancellation system is always active to monitor
changes in the sound pathway to prevent feedback
from occurring. No matter how fast or
how slow these changes occur, the hearing
instruments are effective in reducing the annoying
feedback so you can enjoy clear, natural
listening more comfortably.
“The automatic feedback cancellation in the
Senso Diva is a terrific benefit to my patients and
one that more people should know about,” says
Dr. Veronica Heide of Madison, Wisconsin.
“Now they can hold the phone right up to their
ear without the hearing aid squealing or
whistling and that has meant a greater use of the
telephone in their day-to-day lives.”
Nearly Invisible Size
Hearing instrument wearers can be sensitive
about how the hearing aid looks. They generally
don’t want other people to notice their hearing
aid.
Diva instruments are available in all hearing
aid styles: Behind-the-Ear (BTE), In-the-Ear
(ITE); and even a nearly-invisible Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC) model. This CIC model is
so small and discreet that others may not even
know that you are wearing it.
Taking Care Of Young Ears Is Critical To
Speech And Language Development
Childhood hearing loss is an area in which
public awareness needs to be raised. When
you look at a newborn child or grandchild,
you probably aren’t thinking about whether or
not he or she can hear what you’re saying. In
fact, it could be months or even longer before
you are able to recognize that the child may
have a hearing problem.
What most people don’t realize is that
today’s technology allows newborns
to have their hearing tested. If a hearing
loss goes undiagnosed, it can
result in delayed language development,
which is critically important
in a child’s early years.
“In our practice, we have
found that digital hearing
aids have been a tremendous
benefitparticularly
with small children—because
of their automatic function,”
said Dr. Mark Tosher of Santa
Barbara, California.
“It has always been my goal to try and fit
a Widex Senso product to a child with hearing
loss because of the great quality of the
sound and the ability for it to adjust to all different
environments automatically,” said
Keith Walsh, a New York audiologist. “I
know that finding a product that can
help with a significant hearing loss will
dramatically improve children’s language
development.”
Pay Attention To Your Own Hearing
Your hearing is important! No matter how old
you are—whether you are a baby boomer, a
retiree, an Olympic athlete or simply a student
trying to hear in a classroom—you need to
hear every day. You should know that we all
live in an increasingly noisy world—and there
are now intelligent high-tech devices that can
help you in ways that were previously unimagined.
You need to know that hearing loss can
be subtle to you—you may not know that you
even have a hearing loss—but your family and
friends usually know.
If you find that you have been raising the
volume on your television set to a level that is
uncomfortable for others, or are told you are
frequently speaking too loudly, you might
have a hearing loss. You, or someone you
know that is suffering from hearing loss,
should visit a local hearing healthcare professional
and ask for information on the Senso
Diva.
* Senso Diva technology is proprietary
to the Widex Hearing Aid Company.
Chris Reese is a free lance writer
from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Protecting A Significant Investment
If you went to buy a new car, you would assume one that has
much better gas mileage, a greater history of reliability and an
overall superior design would naturally cost you more than
buying a vehicle of much lesser quality.
It works the same way with hearing aids. Diva hearing instruments
cost more than ordinary ones but the performance and the
benefits that a wearer receives every day are worth the cost. Most
people understand the importance of their eyesight. So just as you
would not take your eyesight for granted, you should not take
your hearing for granted. People who took the approach of “all
hearing aids are the same” in years past were often disappointed
with hearing aids that were less expensive but did not really help
their problems very much. They thought they had found bargains.
But the reality is that hearing-impaired individuals who
bought them probably paid a higher cost in the long run and
probably did not deal significantly with their hearing loss in a
positive way.
Today’s directionally-intelligent digital hearing instruments
can really help you hear better. They cost thousands of dollars—
but you can help protect your investment with a product that
costs only a few dollars. Its called Cerustop and comes with all
Diva instruments. Replacements are available from your hearing
healthcare professional. Cerustop has been specially designed to
help guard against cerumen (more commonly known as earwax)
and/or sweat from gradually damaging your hearing aids.
It is logical to assume that you would damage your home computer
or television set if you gradually poured in a small amount
of water and wax inside each machine—every day—for several
years. That is somewhat similar to what could happen to hearing
aids that offer the processing power of a desktop computer but do
so in an environment where they can be damaged by the
inevitable sweat and ear wax. This is where Cerustop comes in.
They cost very little yet they can help you protect your investment
while helping your hearing aids perform the way they should.
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