There are three types of people in the world: people who find history to be amazingly interesting, individuals who think history is horribly boring, and people who think history is full of aliens.
Aliens aren’t responsible for the history of hearing aids. But it’s probably a lot stranger than you may think. Hearing loss is, after all, a human challenge that has been around as long as we have. Consequently, people have been finding clever ways to deal with hearing loss for centuries, if not longer.
Being aware of the history of your hearing aids can give you a deeper appreciation of how your own tiny, digital devices work, and why you should use them more often.
For thousands of years, people have been dealing with hearing loss
Archaeologists have found evidence of hearing loss that dates back to the dawn of humanity. They can see signs of ear pathologies in fossil evidence. It’s pretty cool! Reports of hearing loss also begin appearing as soon as written language is created (for example, there are numerous Egyptian sources that discuss hearing loss symptoms).
Which is to say, hearing loss isn’t new. And it wasn’t any better then than it is now (this is especially true because it was more difficult to treat then). When you have untreated hearing loss, you will find it more difficult to communicate. Friends and family members may become more distant. When humans were a bit more primitive, neglected hearing loss could lead to a shorter lifespan as they might not have been able to detect danger.
So going back thousands of years, humans have had an incentive to learn how to treat hearing loss. And they’ve even managed some terrific successes!
The progression of hearing aid like devices
It’s important to note that we don’t have an exhaustive history of the hearing aid. Not all evidence of hearing devices is recorded through time. It’s very likely that ancient humans did something to alleviate hearing loss, even if there’s no direct evidence of what that was.
Still, here’s what the recognized “hearing aid timeline” looks like:
- 1200s: Animal Horns: Hollowed out animal horns served as some of the first proto-hearing aids. People probably used this device to amplify sound and lessen the effect of hearing loss and evidence of this type of device goes back to the 1200s. The idea was that the funnel-shape of a hollowed out animal bone would help move sound more directly into the ear. Clearly, this device isn’t working like a modern hearing aid because there is no amplification. But they probably help focus the sound you want to hear and control distracting outside sounds.
- 1600s: Ear Trumpet: The “cone shaped” hearing aid was the prevalent format for centuries. These “ear trumpets” were a popular way to treat hearing loss throughout the seventeenth century. These devices looked, well, like trumpets. You’d put the narrow end in your ear. They came in a wide range of shapes and materials. The early models were quite large and awkward. Subsequently, more portable versions that could be carried around with you were created. Because there was still no amplification, they were about as effective as the bigger versions. But they could bring sound more directly to your ear.
- 1900s: Electronic Amplification: In the late 1800s, the carbon microphone was invented but wouldn’t be employed as hearing aid technology until early the 1900s. This should start amplifying and make hearing aids a no-brainer for effectiveness, right? Not really. In the early 1900s, these devices were giant, and not exactly wearable. The technology would need quite a bit of refinement before it would be very useful.
- 1920s: Wearable Hearing Devices: Then came vacuum tubes! The same technology that energized those old, extremely bulky television sets was actually cutting edge, at that time! Relatively smaller hearing aids that were about the size of a backpack were now possible. Slightly clearer sound and better amplification were also feasible.
- 1940s: Pocket-Sized Hearing Aids: It’s a giant leap from a backpack sized hearing aid to a purse or pocket sized one. This was due to the development of the transistor, which meant you needed less technological bulk to accomplish the same impact. As a result of this advancement, people could easily bring hearing aids with them wherever they went, it was a significant advantage!
- 1970s and 1980s: Hearing Aids Get Smaller: As technologies advanced, hearing aids got smaller. Hearing aids got significantly smaller in the 1970s and 80s. This made them simpler to use, and more popular. The amplification, sadly, was still very basic. They just amplified all of the sound they picked up. Most people need something a little more fine tuned to manage their hearing loss, but it was still better than nothing.
- 1982: Digital Hearing Aid: While not fully adopted and commercially introduced until 1996, 1982 was the year of the first digital hearing aid. Digital hearing aids were a game changer, they provided a better quality of sound, more ways to personalize amplification, and the ability to package everything into a smaller case. With the introduction of digital hearing aids, treatment for hearing loss became much more robust and successful.
- 2000s (and Beyond): Hearing Aids Get Wireless and Smart: Since the introduction of the digital hearing aid, manufacturers have been able to cram more and more technology into these tiny devices. Wireless, Bluetooth connectivity came first. Today, contemporary hearing aids will help you hear better than ever by utilizing machine learning algorithms. Hearing aids are more convenient and more effective as a result of this integration with other technologies.
The best hearing aids in history
Mankind has been working on and improving hearing loss for centuries, at least.
Better than at any other time in history, we are able to achieve that with contemporary hearing aids. These little pieces of technology are more prominent than they ever have been because they’re so effective. A wide range of hearing issues can be addressed.
So if you want to get back to connecting with your kids or your family or the cashier at the supermarket, hearing aids can help you do it. (See? No aliens involved.)
Give us a call and make an appointment to find out what hearing aids can do for you!
References
https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/blogs/hearing-aid-history-ear-trumpets-european-royalty-earbuds
https://www.hear-it.org/lighter-smaller-and-better
