How are directional and multiple microphones used?
More often than not, listeners face the person they are speaking to. Noise, however, can be located in front of, behind, and/or to the sides of the listener. Some hearing aids now include directional or multiple microphones which “communicate” with each other in a manner such that sounds originating from the front of the hearing aid receive maximum amplification and sounds originating to the sides or behind the hearing aid receive considerably less amplification. These microphones are able to effectively suppress some of the annoying background noise that causes so much difficulty for hearing impaired listeners. The technology using these types of microphone arrangements is very promising. They can be found in several different hearing aids but are generally limited to behind-the-ear or full shell in-the-ear hearing aids due to size restrictions.
Most of the time, listeners are facing the person they are speaking to. Noise, however, is often located in front of, behind, and/or to the sides of the listener. Some hearing aids now contain directional or multiple microphones which “communicate” with each other in a manner such that sounds originating from the front of the hearing aid receive maximum amplification and sounds originating to the sides or behind the hearing aid receive considerably less amplification. This effectively suppresses some of the annoying background noise that creates so much difficulty for hearing impaired listeners. The technology using these types of microphone arrangements is very promising. They can be found in several different hearing aids but are generally limited to behind-the-ear or full shell in-the-ear hearing aids due to size restrictions.
