The Future of Hearing Aid Technology

Hearing aids have advanced significantly over the past decade, primarily due to the maturing of digital technology. The next decade should see an even greater number of innovations to hearing aid technology, and this article attempts to predict in which areas the new developments will occur. Both incremental and radical innovations in digital hearing aids will be driven by research advances in the following fields: (1) wireless technology, (2) digital chip technology, (3) hearing science, and (4) cognitive science. The opportunities and limitations for each of these areas will be discussed. Additionally, emerging trends such as connectivity and individualization will also drive new technology, and these are discussed within the context of the areas given here.

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