Fitting Hearing Instruments and the Audiology world is an very interesting field to be in. Our office has been helping our community to hear and communicate consistently for 58 years. Personally, I have been fitting hearing instruments since 1981. This is a fun and rewarding profession that I have the opportunity to partake in every day.
Unless you have had your hearing tested and been professionally fit with hearing instruments, or are an acoustical engineer…. Most people really do not have an idea of how hearing instruments work. While OTC (Over-the-Counter) products mostly just amplify all sounds and then just a very narrow bandwidth… Products made by the major manufacturers who have been doing it for decades do much more.
In the olden days… 1960’s – 1980’s… hearing instruments were linear and amplified everything the same. Even though most people do not need as many low frequencies (where most noise comes from) as the high frequencies. But back then…to correct one area you had to correct both…so everything got louder. To provide some adjustments the industry came up with special types of microphones and receivers to help push different area’s of amplification. We also had little “potentiometers” that allowed us to adjust with a tiny screw driver to adjust the pitch for the user. Boy am I glad things progressed!!
Technology is a beautiful thing!! Not only are hearing aids smaller they are more comfortable to wear. People have also changed their outlook about better hearing and what it means for their life.
Hearing instruments today.. at least Starkey (™) Hearing Technologies have Artificial Intelligence Sensors in their hearing instruments and also in the My Starkey App…. What does this mean? Well, the AI sensors allow the hearing instruments to constantly analyze the sounds and speech on each side of your head and allow the Instruments to adapt to changing environments more rapidly. They learn repeated sounds, speech and various voices in your world and because they are learning devices they correct better and faster every time you wear them. There are gyroscopes in the instruments as well…. This tell heads position to the AI sensors. Thus the AI sensors are determining where you are looking and who your are trying to understand. Wow that’s a lot better than the old days of just making everything louder.
What in the world can make it better?! Starkey recently introduced the DNN 360.
First it was On-Demand,…. Last year… Now… Starkey just Presented THE WORLD’S FIRST DNN-POWERED POWERED DIRECTIONALITY SYSTEM,…
THE DNN-360.
The Omega AI has everything in it. Intuitively it detects characteristics such as speech, background noise, and MOTION and adjusts accordingly.. learning all the time. This helps patients navigate their surroundings with greater confidence knowing their hearing will adapt as they go. Omega AI automatically applies the most appropriate directionality patterns for the best listening experience in the most challenging situations— without compromising spatial awareness.
I have been fitting these instruments since the beginning of November. When I put them on a patient the usual response when I ask them how they sound… is “They sound normal…. “. This is because spatial awareness is not compromised as with previous technology. Because of the DNN 360 processor Starkey was also able to accurately assess balance for the user. Their new My Starkey app that pairs to the Omega AI provide balance assessment with a quick 12 minute tool. (We help you with this). After your personal assessment the My Starkey (™) App provides specific to you balance building exercises with live instructions streaming into your ears with a video to make sure you are doing them right. These hearing instruments can check your respiration as well as be a fitness and wellness tracker if you would like. We now have 3 different ways to remotely program your hearing instruments so in the event you travel there are absolutely no worries if you need help.
We believe that every patient deserves to hear their best in a way that feels natural, true and comfortable. These hearing instruments allow wearers like you to let go of your hearing loss insecurities and take back your lives—navigating every situation with genuine sense of connection and clarity. This All-New Omega AI DNN 360 is that solution.
Don’t put off better hearing. Make your life better. Call and start the Journey to better hearing today. 385-3497. It’s True…. TO HEAR BETTER IS TO LIVE BETTER!
By: Roseann B. Kiefer, B.A., BC-HIS