What Makes A Digital A Digital?

Digital technology owes much of its existence to the space program.

Spacecraft could not communicate with earth by placing huge loudspeakers on
their spacecraft. Digital communication, therefore, solved the problem.

Many of you, who are visiting this website, have worn hearing aids, and are
familiar with many of the manufacturers that produce these products. These
same companies, no doubt, now manufacture digital hearing aids.

All digital hearing aid companies have digital instruments that vary from
fairly basic, to extremely advanced digital technology.

It is up to each dispensing practice to select the manufacturer they choose
to represent. In our practice, our choices are based on performance, and
patient preferences. We believe, that patient feedback is an important
criteria for the ability of a particular product to restore hearing to the
patient's satisfaction.

The concept of digitizing sound is not difficult to grasp. The incoming
sound waves enter the microphone, and are then relayed to the digital sound
processor. This processor converts all sound to binary code; which consists
of zeros (o's), and ones (1's). Because sound is converted to mathematical
symbols, they can be controlled through programming. This is why digital
hearing aids have been revoluntionary. Instead of being forced to hear
everything, especially loud sounds, the digitals are programmed in a way so
that soft sounds sound soft, medium sounds are medium, and loud sounds are
not overwhelming, or annoying.

Another benefit is, that these instruments can be re-programmed at any
time...due to a change in the status of the hearing, or because the patient
objects to certain sound characteristics. In essence then, digitals are good
for years, and years.

After sound is processed, at a rate of 140 million calculations/second, or
more, they are converted back to sound just before existing the receiver, or
speaker system. Also, volume adjustments are done internally at a rate of
200 or so volume adjustments/second.

Altogether, a digital hearing aid typically has: 1) a microphone..some have
more than one, 2) digital channels which address specific frequencies of
sound, 3) management systems to control whistling, or feedback, 4) memory
functions..in many cases up to 4 different memory programs, 5) telecoil
processing, 6) internal volume controls, 7) a digital signal processor, DSP,
and 8) through programming, a menu that addresses specific complaints, such
as "my voice sounds hollow."

We hope, that with this information, you, the patient with a hearing loss,
will find out for yourself how well you will be able to hear with digital
hearing aids.