Hearing aids have been one of the most important inventions of all time. They have allowed people to hear more and better than they ever have before. They have granted children the ability to hear their parents and grandparents to enjoy the company of their grandchildren. Even now, research is occurring that will allow hearing aids to become more potent in the battle against hearing loss. That is why we are going to take a look at the past designs for hearing loss so we can see just how much ground we have covered in the last century alone.
Hearing Trumpets
Before the advent of modern forms of hearing aids, there was the hearing trumpet. This implement was essentially a metal cylinder with a larger, flanged end and another end that was small enough so that it could fit into the ear. Once it was placed in the ear, the open end would be directed towards the sound that the person would want to hear. As a result, the sound would travel through the device and into the ear with little obstruction possible. While it did help people hear better, the simple face of the matter was that the lack of amplifying made the device helpful in moderate hearing loss cases.
Vacuum Tube
Another one of the forms of hearing aid that were made before the beginning of the electronic age were vacuum tubes. These were usually seen in the mid 20th century and were made from rather complicated mixtures of equipment. The receiver and transistor for this device would gather sound from the environment and then move it to the vacuum tube. Here it was turned into an electric pulse and then made louder before coming out of the other end. At that point, the person could hear sound much better than at regular room levels. This was important because it sparked national interest in hearing aids that led to future R&D projects.
Carbon Hearing Aids
Hearing aids that used carbon were another popular form of hearing aid that appeared before the vacuum tube made its premier. These used microphones that were able to amplify the sound initially, and then use those sound waves to drive the carbon across a magnetic plate and into a metal diaphragm. The sound level would be increased and user could potentially hear more, but it came with a few serious detractions. These included the inability to use the hearing device outside of your home because it was much too sensitive and heavy to move around. This was an important stepping stone, and its impracticality drove innovation forward with electricity and other means for hearing aids.