Digital Hearing Aids

Digital hearing aids convert sound waves into numerical codes, similar to the binary code of a computer, before amplifying them. Because the code also includes information about a sound’s pitch or loudness, the aid can be specially programmed to amplify some frequencies more than others. Thus these hearing aids can be customized to an individual’s hearing loss.  

Digital circuitry gives an audiologist more flexibility in adjusting the aid to a user’s needs and to certain listening environments. These aids also can be programmed to focus on sounds coming from a specific direction. They also have automatic features that can adjust the volume and programming for improved hearing in different environments.

Benefits of Digital Hearing Aids
There are many options in digital hearing aids today. Performance in background noise is the number one complaint of most individuals with hearing loss and that of most previous hearing aid wearers. Digital hearing aids help to manage background noise by following techniques -
 
Multiple listening programs
Digital hearing aids are equipped with more than one listening program. Settings include situations where there is a lot of background noise as well as situations where there is little to no background noise. Hearing aids with multiple programs may automatically change between programs or can be manually changed by the individual using remote control.

Directional microphone technology
Hearing aids with directional microphone capabilities typically have two microphones and have the ability to focus (or direct) one microphone toward the sound source while the other attempts to decrease some of the background noise.
 
Enhances speech signals
All modern Digital Hearing Aids are equipped with some level of Speech enhancement algorithms which help to enhance speech signals and filter them from other environmental sounds thus bringing clarity in speech to different degrees.
 
Eliminates the feedback  
Feedback, which is normally associated with analog instruments is eliminated by digital hearing aids for a more comfortable listening experience.