There are three sorts of people in the world: people who find history to be amazingly interesting, people who think history is horribly boring, and those who think history is full of aliens.
Aliens aren’t behind the history of hearing aids. But the true story is probably pretty weird as well. After all, hearing loss isn’t really a new thing; it’s been around as long as we have. Consequently, people have been finding clever ways to cope with hearing loss for hundreds of years, if not longer.
Knowing the history of your hearing aids can give you a better appreciation of how your own tiny, digital devices work, and why you should wear them more often.
For thousands of years, people have been dealing with hearing loss
Archaeologists have discovered evidence of hearing loss that goes back to the dawn of humanity. They can see indicators of ear pathologies in fossil evidence. It’s fairly cool! Reports of hearing loss also begin showing up as soon as written language is created (for example, there are many 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 particularly true because it was more challenging to manage then). Communication will be much more difficult if you have untreated hearing loss. Friends and family members may become more distant. In a more “hunter and gatherer” style of society, you might also lose your ability to detect danger (resulting in a shorter lifespan).
Humans, thus, have had a strong incentive to deal with hearing loss going back thousands of years. And they’ve even managed some very good successes!
The progression of hearing aid like devices
The first thing to appreciate is that our history of hearing aids isn’t complete. Not all evidence of hearing devices is documented through time. Even if we don’t have a published record of exactly what ancient people did to relieve hearing loss, it’s very likely that they took steps in that direction.
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. Evidence of this kind of hearing device dates back to the 1200s, and it’s likely people used them to help reduce the effects of hearing loss. The idea was that the funnel-shape of a hollowed out animal bone would help conduct sound more directly into the ear. Obviously, this device isn’t working on the level of a modern hearing aid because there’s no amplification. But they probably help focus the sound you want to hear and control distracting external sounds.
- 1600s: Ear Trumpet: The “cone shaped” hearing aid was the prevalent configuration for hundreds of years. And that persisted into the seventeenth century, when “ear trumpets” became a popular means of managing hearing loss. They were called “ear trumpets” because, well, that’s what they looked like. The narrow end would go inside your ear. They came in a large number of shapes and materials. The early models were rather large and awkward. Eventually, clever individuals created smaller, more collapsible versions of these ear trumpets, so people could take them on the go. Because there was still no amplification, they were about as efficient as the larger versions. But they could carry 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. Their ability to amplify should have made hearing aids effective and practical, right? Not really. In the early 1900s, these devices were giant, and not really wearable. The core idea was there, but the technology wasn’t fine-tuned enough to be truly useful.
- 1920s: Wearable Hearing Devices: Then came vacuum tubes! The same technology that energized those old, incredibly bulky television sets was actually state-of-the-art, at that time! Relatively smaller hearing aids that were about the size of a backpack were now feasible. New technologies also permitted better amplification and slightly clearer sound.
- 1940s: Pocket-Sized Hearing Aids: From fitting a hearing aid in a backpack to being able to put one in your purse or pocket, it’s a giant leap! The same effect was now available with less bulky technology as a result of the invention of the transistor. It became a substantial advantage, as a result of this technology, to take your hearing aid with you wherever you went.
- 1970s and 1980s: Hearing Aids Get Smaller: Hearing aids became smaller as technology advanced. Hearing aids got significantly smaller in the 1970s and 80s. This made them easier to use, and more prevalent. The amplification, sadly, was still very basic. They just boosted 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 changed the hearing aid landscape by making everything smaller and more discrete while providing custom amplification and better sound quality. With the introduction of digital hearing aids, treatment for hearing loss became much more effective and efficient.
- 2000s (and Beyond): Hearing Aids Get Wireless and Smart: Since the launching of the digital hearing aid, manufacturers have been able to cram more and more technology into these little devices. Wireless, Bluetooth connectivity came first. And today, modern hearing aids will utilize machine learning algorithms to help you hear better than ever. This integration with other technologies makes hearing aids more efficient, and more convenient!
The best hearing aids in history
Mankind has been working on and improving hearing loss for centuries, if not longer.
Better than at any other time in history, we are able to accomplish that with modern hearing aids. These little pieces of technology are more popular than they ever have been because they’re so effective. They can help with a wider range of hearing problems.
So if you want to get back to connecting with your kids or your loved ones or the cashier at the supermarket, hearing aids can help you do it. (See? No aliens involved.)
Learn how hearing aids can improve your life. Contact us for an appointment.
References
https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/blogs/hearing-aid-history-ear-trumpets-european-royalty-earbuds
