Frequency Lowering Hearing Aids

Frequency Compression:

Frequency Compression:

There is always a push for hearing aid manufacturers to develop technologies that increase the benefit for its users. It is universal. The latest trend in amplification seems to be the ability of the aid to lower frequency output (we are referring to pitch, not volume) into the patient's more audible regions of hearing.

First let's discuss why a frequency lowering technology is beneficial to the average hearing instrument user. It is well documented that the average user has a "high frequency" or "high pitched" hearing loss. This simply means the patient can hear low and medium pitches better than he/she can hear high pitches (Think: Low = bass and high = treble). The low frequencies (bass tones) relay a human's perception of loudness or volumes. High frequencies (treble tones), on the other hand, relay a sense of intelligibility and improve our ability to differentiate between two different words that may sound similar. So, individuals with high frequency hearing loss may very well "hear" someone speaking to them; however, they cannot understand them.

With the above in mind, it makes sense for hearing instrument manufacturers to develop a technology to benefit the millions of patients with high frequency hearing loss. Fortunately, most hearing instrument manufacturers are well versed in hearing science and research. They have developed multiple technologies that will lower frequencies into a range where the user can more easily hear it. One technology that has made quite an impact on the hearing industry is Phonak's "Sound Recover" (technically called frequency compression (FC)). FC does just that, it compresses the frequencies from high to low. Since the advent of digital hearing devices, most all aids have amplitude or vertical compression for maintaining comfortable volume levels. FC is, in a sense, horizontal compression and will essentially squish high pitched information into lower pitch areas (where sound is naturally better heard). The actual process of FC is much more complex; however, the fact remains that many instrument users with high frequency hearing loss have greatly benefited from this technology.

Another type of frequency lowering technology is known as "frequency transposition" (FT) or "frequency shifting". FT is more or less a generic function, not retained by one manufacturer or another. FT lowers frequencies by taking any high frequency input that occurs after a cutoff point and processes that information at a lower, more audible frequency. FT has been around for a long time; however, it is only used on certain hearing instruments.

Next time you visit your Audiologist, ask about how a frequency lowering technology may be able to benefit you.

by:Theresa Bartlett

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