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. 2007 Mar;11(1):31-45.
doi: 10.1177/1084713806298004.

The future of hearing aid technology

Brent Edwards  1
Affiliations

The future of hearing aid technology

Brent Edwards. Trends Amplif. 2007 Mar.

Abstract

Hearing aids have advanced significantly over the past decade, primarily due to the maturing of digital technology. The next decade should see an even greater number of innovations to hearing aid technology, and this article attempts to predict in which areas the new developments will occur. Both incremental and radical innovations in digital hearing aids will be driven by research advances in the following fields: (1) wireless technology, (2) digital chip technology, (3) hearing science, and (4) cognitive science. The opportunities and limitations for each of these areas will be discussed. Additionally, emerging trends such as connectivity and individualization will also drive new technology, and these are discussed within the context of the areas given here.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Free-field polar patterns for beamforming (solid line) and a first-order directional microphone (dashed line).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Components of communication. Adapted from Sweetow and Henderson-Sabes. The case for LACE (Listening and Communication Enhancement). Hear J. 2004; 57: 32–38.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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MeSH terms