Past, Present And Future: Everything About Hearing Aid Batteries
Hearing loss is nothing new & is present since earlier centuries. People are suffering from a way back known to men. During the 16th century, hearing loss was considered a serious condition, and people suffering from it were discriminated against. Hearing aid devices have come a long way, and with the help of technology, the condition is not as problematic anymore. Let’s take a look at the hearing aid history and more.
When was the first hearing aid invented?
The ear trumpet was invented back in the 17th century and helped people with hearing aid. These trumpets came up in different sizes & shapes and were made of animal horns to sheet iron.
The next advancement came during the 18th century with the invention of a collapsible ear trumpet. Frederick C. Rein was the man behind the production of these trumpets commercially in 1800. To make these devices unobtrusive, Rein implemented acoustic headbands that hid the hearing devices into the user’s hair.
The first hearing aid..
The first hearing aid was invented by Miller Reese Hutchison. It had the technology of controlling the frequency, loudness, and distortion of sounds.
- In 1898, the first electric hearing aid was invented by Miller Reese Hutchison. The design used an electric current to amplify the weak signals.
- In 1913, the world got introduced to commercially manufactured hearing aids. These devices were clumsy and not portable.
- In the 1920s, vacuum-tube hearing aids were produced, it was possible for them to turn the speech into electric signals & then the signal gets amplified.
- The transistor got invented back in 1948 & these can replace the vacuum tubes present in the previous models. They required less battery and no distortion.
- In the 1970s, the microprocessor and multi-channel amplitude were created. The microprocessor brought the reduction in the size to a new level & compression got popular with the upcoming technology.
- The 1980s saw steady growth in the hearing aid market & the creation of high-speed processors and microcomputers.
- The 1990s saw the first all-digital hearing aid & the 2010s brought the idea of Bluetooth devices into the market.
Types of Hearing Aid Batteries
The hearing aids typically fall into two categories that are disposable and rechargeable batteries.
Disposable batteries
Disposable batteries are available in various forms, which are all zinc-air batteries. These are the button batteries and remain inactive when the sticker is present. Once the sticker is removed, it can’t be replaced & the power will drain whether you use the battery or not.
Disposable batteries come in different sizes & styles depending on the power needs. The larger the hearing aid is larger the battery is required. The four sizes of the disposable batteries are 10,312,13 and 675, from smallest to largest. There is color-coded packaging that makes the right battery easier. It ranges from yellow, orange, brown, and blue. Different types of hearing aid batteries require a certain size & capacity of the battery. The larger size (blue) used in BTE (behind-the-ear) & the smallest size (yellow) used as a mini receiver in the hearing aids (mini RITE).
Rechargeable batteries
The rechargeable batteries are available for BTE (behind the ear) hearing aids. The best part about these batteries is that they are recharged so you don’t need to throw them after just using them once. The batteries are best recharged at night when you take them out during sleep. The numerous advantages of rechargeable batteries include long shelf life and charge time. The lithium-ion batteries last around 5 years and hold the charge for around 30 hours.
The rechargeable batteries pose no risk to small children and pets, who possibly put the batteries in their mouths. If handling smaller batteries is an issue with you, then rechargeable batteries are perfect for you. The disposable button batteries are smaller in size and can fumble while using them in hearing aids.
Rechargeable batteries have few disadvantages. They are quite costly than disposable batteries, they require a charging point and need to visit an audiologist if there is any problem.
How to extend the hearing aid battery life?
Here are the tips to help get you the maximum benefit from the hearing aid batteries:
- After you have peeled the battery sticker, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before inserting them into the hearing aids.
- It's advisable to store your batteries at room temperature and never store them in the refrigerator.
- Store your batteries in a dry room and not in a humid and warm area. Humidity is the enemy of your hearing aid batteries.
- Take off your batteries when you are not using them.
- Buying a case is an ideal choice if you carry extra batteries with you, preventing the loose batteries from coming in contact with other metal objects like keys.
Where to buy hearing aid batteries?
Hearing aid batteries are available almost everywhere. Be it an offline store, but we suggest you first go to your nearest hearing care professional and find out if you need a hearing aid battery or not. If yes, there are amazing deals present on online hearing aid batteries that you can buy. Plus the quality you will get when buying online is the best thing possible.
