Impacts_of_Future_Research_on_Hearing_Aids_and_Cochlear_Implants

The impacts of future research on hearing aids and cochlear implants There are endless possibilities of how future research may impact on hearing devices. Firstly, future research into hearing aids could introduce aids that are wirelessly connected to a wide array of audio products that hearing aid wearers want to listen to. For example, if a television is transmitting its audio wirelessly, then a wireless receiver can be added to the hearing aid so that users can listen to TV audio that is not subject to any echoing and not worry about bothering others in the room with a loud TV. Wireless ear-to-ear communication could also be developed so that the left and right hearing aids of a wearer communicate with each other wirelessly. This would mean that a pair of hearing aids would be considered as a single system rather than as two separate hearing aids. This means all functions can become synchronized and the processing could also be shared between the aids. Hearing aids have limited hearing assistance in high frequency range so future research could increase their ability to assist users in this frequency range. Those who use hearing aids complain of an aggravating buzzing sound, even after spending over $4000 on the high range models. Future research may result in development that removes this buzzing noise. Future research onto cochlear implants may make it possible to use a shortened electrode array, inserted into a portion of the cochlea, for individuals whose hearing loss is limited to the higher frequencies. We could also make a cochlear implant convey the sounds of speech more clearly. In addition, future research will give us a better idea of the potential benefits of pairing a cochlear implant in one ear with either another cochlear implant or a hearing aid in the other ear. Also, as the external part of the implant and the short battery life can often be an inconvenience to the user, future research could lead to a cochlear implant that is completely inside the ear that will include an inbuilt microphone and a lifetime battery. At this present time, a cochlear implant uses about 24 electrodes. Scientists hope that future research of this technology could help develop an implant with 240 electrodes. This would make it possible for wearers to listen to near normal sound. Furthermore, those without an auditory nerve are unable to have a cochlear implant however future research could result in the development of the implant that helps those without auditory nerves hear.