A Journey Through Time: The Evolution of Hearing Aids

Hearing difficulties are not a product of modern times. The complicated nature of the human hearing system and its potential faults have long made it a necessity to come up with ways to amplify sound. Solutions have ranged from the simple ear trumpets of the 17th century to the innovative hearing aids available today. 

The evolution of hearing technology is a prime example of human capability and ingenuity. Learn more about the history of hearing aids and how they’ve become the powerful tools they are today. 

The First Hearing Aid

The very first hearing aid, called an ear trumpet, was created in 1634. Although the name of the inventor himself isn’t entirely clear, the first person to mention the ear trumpet was French mathematician and priest Jean Leurechon. 

A German inventor named Johann Nepomuk Mälzel was the first person to manufacture ear trumpets, starting in the 1810s. He even created ear trumpets for Beethoven when the composer began losing his hearing. In 1898, Miller Reese Hutchison invented the Akouphone, which was the first portable and electric hearing aid. 

In the 1920s, Earl Hanson patented the first vacuum-tube hearing aid called the Vactuphone. Then came the transistor hearing aids of 1948.

It wasn’t until 1956 that behind-the-ear hearing aids emerged as a more discreet and portable option. The in-the-ear options came next in the 1970s, offering microprocessors and multi-channel amplitude compression that allowed the hearing devices to be much smaller. 

The 1980s saw the inventions of microcomputers and high-speed processors, while the 1990s produced the first all-digital hearing aid. Finally, in the 2010s, hearing aids with Bluetooth connections appeared. 

Early Hearing Assistance Devices

The first hearing assistance devices were designed quite simply. The ear trumpet had a basic hollowed-out design that directed sound waves toward the ear. Lots of materials could be used to create an ear trumpet, including animal horns, sheet metal, snail shells, and wood. Despite their simplicity, they were custom-made for each client. 

The Akouphone used a carbon transmitter to transform a weak signal into a stronger one using an electric current. It was still a clunky device that required lugging around an amplifier, microphone, headphones, and a battery that didn’t last long. 

The Vactuphone relied on a telephone transmitter to transform speech into electrical signals that the receiver then amplified. You had to wear the amplifier and batteries around your neck and hold the microphone in your hand. At that time, the microphone’s size was proportional to your level of hearing loss. 

The transistor hearing assistance devices, first produced in 1948, used transistors to replace vacuum tubes. They were smaller and required less battery power. They tended to stop working after a few weeks, however. 

Miniaturization and Integration

The behind-the-ear hearing aids came out in 1956 and became a discreet option. The body of the device sat behind the ear and connected to an earpiece. 

With the invention of the microprocessor in the 1970s, the race toward creating the smallest hearing aid began. Edgar Villchur came up with an analog multi-channel amplitude compression device that made it possible to separate audio signals into frequency bands. This enabled some sounds to be amplified more than others. 

In-the-ear devices appeared at this time, too, providing an even more comfortable and subtle fit. Battery life was longer, and performance was better tailored to fit each person. 

Digital Revolution: DSP and Programmable Hearing Aids

In the 1970s, high-speed digital-array processors became important for microcomputers, but it wasn’t until 1982 that an all-digital hearing aid appeared. Because the creators still had to pack a microcomputer, a digital-array processor, and an FM transmitter and receiver into the device, it remained a bulky hearing aid.

The 1980s, however, did bring into play the digital chips needed for high-speed digital signal processing. They made processing much easier, but they consumed too much power and were quite large. As time passed, the experts at the Central Institute for the Deaf managed to improve these issues and create a digital aid. 

Around the mid-1990s, hearing aids became more programmable. They had switches and screwdrivers you could adjust to improve sound quality. This is when hearing aids began focusing more on offering user-friendly controls as well as technology that could adapt to different types of hearing situations. 

Cochlear Implants: A Revolutionary Breakthrough

Cochlear implants have been the approved treatment method since the 1980s for people with severe to profound hearing loss. This kind of hearing aid is one that features an implanted component that goes into the auditory system and an external component that is worn behind the ear. 

Cochlear implants function by bypassing the damaged portions of the ear, delivering sound signals to the auditory nerve. These signals then travel to the brain. Although the sounds are not like normal hearing, the brain can learn to interpret them. Cochlear implants can be unilateral or bilateral. 

These days, cochlear implant surgeries are safer and lead to fewer risks of damage to the cochlea during the process of electrode insertion. The external portion of the device is also smaller and more comfortable than it used to be. The advances in cochlear implant technology have increased candidacy potential. 

 

Wireless Connectivity and Smart Hearing Aids

The hearing aids of today possess Bluetooth capabilities. There are also smart hearing aids that adjust their own settings depending on the hearing situation you’re in. Many don’t require volume buttons for that reason. Many options also offer the chance to speak on the phone and listen to music or podcasts directly from iOS devices. 

Now, you have the ability to control settings via apps and can rely on the hearing aid to regulate itself. With these modern features at your disposal, you have more freedom and a better overall hearing experience. 

 

Watching for Future Innovations

Taking a look at the history of hearing aids gives you an idea of how quickly life-changing medical advances take place. People have been helping those with hearing difficulties enjoy their lives for hundreds of years, with inventions spanning from the most basic of aids to those so intricate they can function without your involvement. Who knows what advancements could be next?

If you’re experiencing hearing loss, the best thing you can do is reach out to Happy Ears Hearing Center. We offer experienced audiologists who are ready to help. Contact us today for an appointment.