The first ever hearing aid (the ‘body worn aid’) was invented by Harvey Fletcher in the early 20th century while working at Bell Laboratories. Earlier hearing aids, known as an "ear trumpets" or "ear horns" were funnel-like amplification cones designed to gather sound energy and direct it into the ear canal.
Since then, hearing aid technology has developed dramatically. Today, there are three different styles of hearing aids commonly fitted:
RITE (Receiver in the Ear)
These hearing aids are similar in look to the BTE (Behind the Ear) aid. However, there is one major difference - the speaker ('receiver') of the hearing aid is located inside of the ear canal and a thin electrical wire replaces the acoustic tube of the BTE aid.
The sound quality of a RITE hearing aid is much smoother than a traditional BTE hearing aid. The speaker (receiver) is in the ear canal and the amplified output of the hearing aid does not need to be pushed through a tube before it reaches the ear canal.
There is no large ear mould in the ear with this style, which will make the user feel like they have nothing in the ear and therefore less conscious of wearing a hearing aid.
Who is this hearing aid for?
RITE hearing aids can be fitted to people with mild, severe & profound hearing loss.
Range of products available in RITE style:
BTE (Behind the Ear)
As the name suggests, all the electronics in BTEs are in a small casing that sits behind the ear, and sound is fed into the ear canal via a small plastic tube. The sound processing technology in these hearing aids tends to be more sophisticated, and they can be linked with other devices such as mobile phones and TVs.
BTE hearing aids can sometimes be fitted with a thin tube which makes the hearing aid more discrete. However the sound quality is compromised with this type of tubing.
Who is this hearing aid for?
BTE hearing aids can be fitted to people with mild to profound hearing loss.
Range of products available in BTE style:
ITE (In the Ear) & CIC (Completely in the Canal)
These types of hearing aids are custom-made to fit snugly in the user's ear canal, making them very discreet. With this style of hearing aid, all electronic components fit in a shell that fits into the ear canal.
ITE hearing aids are custom made to fit each individual's ear.
Who is this hearing aid for?
ITE hearing aids can be fitted to people with mild to severe hearing loss.
