Putting Audiologists out of business
Manufacturer’s of digital hearingaids supply audiologists with computer software that allows them to change an aid’s settings. The audiologist can add or remove preset programmes and adjust various sound levels.
I think it would be really useful if us hearing aid wearers could have our own version of the software so that we could make modifications to our aid’s settings ourselves. This would be particularly useful when new aids are being trialled as it’s likely that during this time a lot of tweaks are going to be made to try and get them just right. If we could make some of the tweaks ourselves it would save trips to the audiologist, useful if you don’t live close or if the audiologist is very busy and you have to wait a while to get your aid modified.
Because most of us aren’t trained audiologists, our software would have to be simplified from what the audiologist would use. And that’s fine because it would be enough to give people basic functions with which they can tweak their aid’s settings.
Here’s some of the things I think could be safely modified by a wearer using personal-software:
- Overall volume up / volume down
- Add / remove / edit programme
- Run or remove feedback dampener
- Specific-range volume up or down
Possibly the user could select boxes that indicate a problem they are having with a certain sound range - they could select options like, “I can’t hear deep male voices”, “I can’t hear the telephone” and so on. Once they’ve made selections, the software could up the volume to try and help the particular problem.
The software could ask the user to listen to tones and then adjust the aid accordingly - like a hearing test. The software could come supplied with a ‘buzzer’ that the wearer presses when the hear a sound. Your own personal hearing test! Obviously this wouldn’t be a controlled test and wouldn’t be conducted in a soundproof environment. But it may allow people to make some modifications themselves.
It would be very important for the software to be able to undo any of the changes that the user makes. The user needs to be able to undo anything they change that doesn’t sound right. It would also be good for the user to be able to revert to the audiologists default settings.
I think that if personal hearing aid modification software was designed that was easy to use and foolproof then many people would be able to safely use it without damaging their aids or their ears. Maybe we wouldn’t be putting the audiologists out of business just yet, but we’d certainly cut down on their workload.
Starkey labs has a lot of disgruntled Vietnamese employees. Waving a few c-notes on their faces can get them sell you copies of the software.
Steve
I want access to the hardware and software to tweak and edit my programs as well. There are a preponderance of reasons why that would be desired! For myself- I would like to take my laptop, hardware connections to connect the hearing aid to the computer, and software into different environments like the park, backseat of a car, shop, bar, e.t.c.
I went ahead and called the phone line for the wholesale resound hardware and software department that the audiologists use. The person on the other line was helpful and told me they would sell me the equipment. They asked me if I was an audiologist and and I told them the truth- no.(Technically the equipment can only be sold to an audiologist but some persistence can get around this). It was quite expensive so I didn’t go forward with it at the time. I’m sure you could track down the numbers for Starkey and their equipment sale lines that the audiologists themselves use.
I think a proactive hard of hearing person like yourself would be able to make this happen.
My skepticisms: the fairly expensive equipment will become obsolete quite rapidly, the equipment will take some time to learn how to use and doesn’t look all that intuitive (but I’m sure we could figure it out eventually).
[...] previously wrote about how letting hearing aid wearers program their own aids would be good thing. To briefly recap: I think that giving us wearers a simplified version of the software that [...]
Dear Sirs,
We are looking for secondhand AUDIOLOGY EQUIPMENTS -AABR (auditory Evoked brainstem hearing screening systems and other audiology systems, audiometers, tympanometers….)
Do u have ?
Best Regards,
Dr. Satoot
MMC CO.,
Azi, Alp, Syr
P O B 5109
Tel: 00963212244387
Fax: 2111532
Email: m.satoot@aloola.sy
moh1000@aloola.sy
m.satoot@hotmail.com
Of the bullet points you listed above Steve, there are hearing aids available that do all of those things, with the exception of adding/removing programs, without needing software or a computer. It’s all done right on the device.
Dr. Tom,
Thanks for the response. Which device offers specific range volume changes and what kind of ranges can you specify? Is it a case of altering settings such as “deep tones”, “high tones” and so on?
I was envisaging a PC application that would display an audiogram - or some other representation - with which people could tweak specific ranges using the mouse for precision.
Also it would be fantastic if anyone could input their audiogram and have the aid automatically configure itself.
What you do not understand is that it’s not as simple as get software and making adjustments. If you want to be able to program a set of hearing aids be prepared to fork out some big bucks! You will have to purchase a programming box, cables and flex strips! That is unless you want to do it wireless. (Which will cost a lot more?) None the less you can look forward to spending no less than $1500 dollars to get started! Not to mention you better have the system requirements needed to operate the software. Be prepared to make a lot of mistakes because without a good understanding of compression, TKs, time constants you may find adjusting a hearing aid is not as simple as it looks! Anyway good luck!
Alternatively, go and live in the States (at least some of the states) and get aids from a company called America Hears, and they will provide you with everything software and connection-wise that you need to program your own aids entirely. However, it does seem to be a very small % that ask for or even use this facility. It might be on its way though!!
@Nathaneil
I agree with you that audiology is difficult - it is unlikely that the average hearing aid wearer is going to know about compression, time constants and so on. And that’s my whole point. I would like to see a programmer that makes it easy for people to make their own adjustments.
When you use Microsoft Word you don’t need to know how vector-based fonts are rendered using bezier curves. When you read a PDF using Acrobat Reader you don’t need to know how the arbitrary PDF drawing space is trasformed into a two or three dimensional space. My point? Good software makes difficult things easy. It takes away the complexity so that a user can do the things they want to do without worrying about the technical stuff.
@Keith
Yeah, I’d love to try out America Hears’ service - it looks very interesting. I did contact them to see if they planned to move into Europe but didn’t get a response - think I’ll try emailing again.
Great idea, but my audiologist friend says it takes ongoing training to keep up with
the constant software upgrades. She says programming the computer with software and
necessary training costs audiologists over $ 20,000 from the manufacturer and
they’re not compatible from one brand to another. If prgramming is done improperly it
could void the hearing aid warranty.
While it sounds good, it could increase the audiologists workload and be frustrating
for everyone concerned. My guess is the manufacturer’s wouldn’t put the R&D into it
— unless one dominates like Microsoft did. But with microsoft if you crash it’s just
data that’s lost, not a multi-thousand dollar instrument!
I’m a year late in this discussion but has anyone considered why audiologists spend years in school to learn how to help people with hearing problems? Are we doing it because it’s easy? NO. Are we doing it to make tons of money? Not exactly. Even if there were a simple software program available for the technologically inclined patient, there are reasons why individuals with hearing loss NEED audiologists. We are highly skilled and highly trained to help people hear well. We do not only fit hearing aids but we also offer our patients an aural rehabilitation program and the opportunity for successful use of their hearing aids. In the case of fitting hearing aids, everyone needs their audiologist to help them not only become adjusted to their new hearing abilities but also to help them maintain their hearing aids and manipulate the fine parameters when their hearing changes over time. Let’s not forget to mention that it is possible to set the hearing aids too loud thus incurring further damage to one’s hearing system and this is the main reason, among many, that the FDA has not approved over the counter hearing aids/software. Additionally, people need counseling from a caring and skilled professional who will help them understand what to expect and who is not afraid to find a creative solution to their hearing problem. Audiologists do much more than just fit hearing aids. We work very hard to help our patients and I take offense to anyone who implies that my job is limited to merely pushing a few buttons!
I have had my America Hears FreedomAD Liberty Open Fit hearing aids for one week and found the ADRO software to do the programming not that complex, The new hearing aid technology does but use compression anymore so changing settings is more like using a graphic equalizer on your sound system.
Sure an education is needed by audiologists and that cost money but the $3400 savings over getting older technology used Beltone was important and America Hears audiologists seem well versed. They can also used the software to make changes for you if you perfer not to do it.
The software/hardward combo to program my aids is a $149 option that to me is worth the money.
Well I see some of the “Death and Destruction” Audiologists naysayers here are beating the ol’ drum again about how HA users are so dumb, ie: (how dumb are they you ask).. that a burlap sack of rocks has far superior intelligence to be able to make some basic adjustments on a set of BTE HA’s.
Let me give you a common situation that quite often happens with HA users, especially new ones. They get their new HA’s and the Audiologist programs in a basic set of information for lets say four channels. Now the new HA wearer is sent away with a followup appointment a week or two thereafter for a evaluation and any additional tuning.
At that time the new BTE wearer has adjustments done.. and is told to use the BTE’s for the next couple of weeks.. and if needed then he/she will have to have another adjustment or so. Now this is where the problem comes up. They go in a third time and after the adjustments and another two weeks of “testing?” it still isn’t quite right to their hearing situation or satisfaction. So what happens? In a lot of cases the new HA user now takes them off and throws them into the drawer.. never to be used again.
Hypothetical situation: I get a new set of BTE’s on a Monday. By Thursday I find several things that need to be done on my BTE’s. Are you as a Audiologists going to let me come in Friday, or open up your office Saturday to do what needs to be done on my HA’s. Let’s just say you do. Three or four days later are you as a Audiologists going to stay late past closing time Tuesday night to work on my HA’s because the sound/freq adjustments aren’t quite what I need? Are you as a Audiologists going to do this seven, nine, twelve times (if needed), until it’s finally gotten right.. if it’s gotten right at all? Of course NOT! After about the third or fourth time you’re going to tell me not to come back again (what you’re really going to say is “because of your type of hearing loss, this is as good as it’s going to get adjustment wise)… which will most likely result in non-use.
My thoughts are: “I don’t want to hear you tell me it’s going to be two weeks or more before you can see me to make those adjustments”. Sorry about that. I just paid $4,000 - $5,000 - $6,000 for the HA’s. The problem is: “There’s something wrong with them NOW.. so fix the problem NOW! NOT NEXT WEEK!” If I have a flat tire on my car and I call up AAA, my membership $$$$ has been paid to get it fixed NOW.. NOT NEXT WEEK!”
Now on the other hand, as Steve said in post #9.. “there’s NO reason why a HA user with ANY common sense wouldn’t be able to make a few of the simpler adjustments. You Audiologists can’t have it both ways. On the one hand you can’t say only Audiologists can do adjustments, but on the other hand complain about not making any money when a HA user comes in repeatedly looking to have minor adjustments wanted done.
Shi-Ku Chishiki ShiKu.Chishiki@Gmail.com