Hearing Aid Technology

In all hearing aids, sound enters through a microphone. It is then processed, amplified and delivered to a receiver (loudspeaker). This then sends the output either directly to the user's ear canal, via tubing to an earmould, or via a thin wire to a receiver placed directly in the ear.

There are two types of sound processing: analog and digital.

Analog sound processing
In analog instruments, sound is processed as an electrical signal by a microphone.  Analog sound is like making a photocopy; the sound is registered and you get an overall picture. But the actual processing is like re-copying a photocopy - it can only be done to a certain extent because it causes a deterioration of the original imprint.

Digital sound processing
In a digital hearing aid, the acoustic signal is converted into digits (0, 1), processed within the hearing aid, and then reconverted to an analogue acoustic signal for the listener. A digital signal can be repeated endlessly without affecting the overall quality. It's like printing copies of a scanned image: each copy is a perfect duplicate of the original.

Wireless Communication

Oticon’s RISE architecture represents a paradigm shift in the hearing aid industry - it offers wireless connectivity and a high-speed broadband connection between instruments. With RISE, two hearing instruments can communicate and perform binaural processing, allowing them to work as one central processor. This brain-like behaviour provides a more authentic listening perspective. In addition to pushing the limits of how hearing instruments process sounds, RISE allows people to connect to a number of Bluetooth enabled electronic devices such as mobile phones, mp3 players, etc.