Ear wax museum: a history of making your hearing better
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| Audience/Grade: | College Freshman - Continuing Education |
| Discipline(s): |
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering |
| Special Topic(s): |
Persons with Disabilities |
| Learning Resource Type: | Reference - Article/Document |
| Media Type: | WWW |
| Author(s): | Starkey Labs, HearingCenterOnline.com |
| Description: | History of hearing aids and devices. Excerpt: "Electronic Hearing Aids - Carbon (1899-1940s) These are based on the telephone principle but Alexander Graham Bell had nothing to do directly with their development. These appeared first in limited quantities in a table model about 1899, but in wearable and practical instruments began to be available only in 1902.Carbon aids were popular through the 1940's. Most of these used a rather large 3-volt or 6-volt battery but did not have enough power to assist those with more than a moderate hearing loss. Electronic Hearing Aids - Vacuum Tube (1920s-1930s) Unlike the carbon instruments, these had adequate power for severe hearing losses but were also usable by persons with a lesser loss. The first one appeared in 1921, but this type did not become practical until the early 1930's, and did not appear in a wearable version until 1936. Vacuum tube aids required two batteries, so costs were rather high. Transistor Hearing Aids (1952, 53) These can also be properly called electronic hearing aids. They appeared in a few models in late 1952 and virtually replaced vacuum tube hearing aids by the end of 1953. Transistors need only one battery and the reduced size permitted development of a number of types of hearing aids: * The body aid, or pocket aid, continued to be popular, especially for those with severe loss, and could now be made smaller than vacuum tube versions. * Eyeglass hearing aids attained considerable popularity, particularly after Eleanor Roosevelt allowed her name and photograph to be used wearing one. * Behind-the-ear or over-the-ear models were a huge improvement in cosmetic appeal and are still the aid of choice for those with severe to profound loss * In-the-ear models come in several versions: stock or non-custom models, custom concha models, half shell models, and canal aids. The most recent development is the completely-in-the-canal aids. Today, body and eyeglass aids account for less than 1% of hearing aid sales in the United States. Hybrid Hearing Aids (1977) Hybrid hearing aids use a combined digital/analog circuitry. The first patent for hybrid technology was received in 1977 and the first commercial release of a digital chip to be integrated in an analog hearing aid occurred in 1986. These hearing aids have greatly increased our flexibility in fitting the hearing-impaired population." |
| Rating: | No Rating |
| Related Resources | |
| Keywords: | hearing aids, ear wax |
| Version Info | |
| Publication Date: | December 2008 |
| Platform/Format: | WWW |
| Cost: | Free |
| Download URL: | http://www.hearingcenteronline.com/museum.shtml |
| Metadata: | IEEE LOM Record |
| Collection: |
NEEDS
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