Did you know that over 460 million people across the globe have hearing loss that impairs their ability to function on a daily basis? That’s a lot of people who are in need of a hearing aid.
Are you wondering how hearing aid technology has advanced since the 17th century?
Keep reading to hear about the history of hearing aids and how they’ve improved over the centuries.
Hearing Trumpets
In the 1700s, the closet thing to a hearing aid was an invention called a hearing trumpet. The person using a hearing trumpet had to hold it up against their ear. It truly looked like a little trumpet and the sound was funneled into the wide mouth and then into the canal of the ear.
These hearing trumpets were first made of glass, horns, or even seashells, but were later constructed from metal.
You might be surprised to know that the famous German composer and pianist Ludwig van Beethoven actually used a hearing trumpet in his time.
Stylish Hearing Aids
When the 1800s came around, people were still using fairly large hearing aids, especially when compared to modern designs.
However, a lot of effort was put toward concealing the hearing aids or at least making them decorative. Thus, hearing aids were worked into elegant hairstyles or fashionable headwear.
Some kings even had subtle hearing aids installed in their thrones. The sound would enter the armrests and after being amplified in an echo chamber, it would come out of the headrest.
Electric Hearing Aids
In the early 1900s, the invention of the telephone and the increasing popularity of electricity, in general, allowed for a box-like hearing aid that was battery-power.
By the end of the century, digital hearing aids were being used. Not only were they smaller, but they were even small enough to put behind or in the ear.
At that time, digital technology allowed people to customize their hearing aids to suit their lifestyles, such as quieter sounds for a cozy life at home or targeted hearing to pick a voice out of many.
Modern Hearing Aids
Nowadays, hearing aids have come so far that they can be smaller than a dime. You’d be hard-pressed to even know if someone is wearing one.
The state-of-the-art technology allows hearing aids to last longer and need less maintenance. You can actually stream sound directly into the hearing aid from devices such as computers and televisions. They can even adapt to your surroundings in real-time.
If you have problems with your hearing, then you should definitely consider hearing aids. The technology can truly change your life for the better.
Now You Know the History of Hearing Aids
Knowing all about the history of hearing aids can make us appreciate how far technology has come. Perhaps you’ll be the one to design the next and greatest hearing aid.
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