|
| Advanced Bionics’ Harmony cochlear implant processor. Photo courtesy of www.advancedbionics.com |
|
| A user of MED-EL’s Maestro system enjoys listening to her MP3 player. Photo courtesy of www.medel.com |
|
| Cochlear's Nucleus 5 system. Photo courtesy of www.cochlear.co.uk |
For years, hearing aids have been designed primarily for amplifying live speech. However, sound can also come via many other sources, including MP3 players, cell phones, computers, TVs and the Internet. Until recently, receiving these other signals has been an afterthought in hearing device design. Finally, hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturers are tuning in to your needs.
Oticon's Epoq hearing aid has a wireless magnetic transmitter/receiver that enables two hearing devices to act as one and to communicate with a body-worn gateway device called Streamer. Streamer uses Bluetooth® wireless technology to pump audio directly into both hearing devices from external sound sources. For example, Epoq can function as a wireless MP3 player or an iPod headset with clean, clear sound in both ears for a truly enjoyable experience. Learn more at www.OticonUSA.com, by following the Consumers/Products links to Epoq and Streamer.
When Doc Childre released "Heart Zones," a CD of music specifically designed to reduce stress, the album spent 50 consecutive weeks on Billboard's Adult Alternative chart and introduced a new
genre known as "designer music." Created with the intention of affecting mood and emotion, "Heart Zones" was said to induce calmness and clarity in the listener. Recent research points to other positive effects of music, causing hearing aid manufacturer Widex® to take note. Zen, a Widex-only patented program, uses fractal technology to generate soothing harmonic tones and chimes which can aid in relaxation. Zen is available on MindTM440 and PassionTM440 models, offering hearing aid users a meditative break on demand.
UnitronTM is blazing a trail with myMusicTM technology and the introduction of IndigoTM. myMusic enables hearing professionals to shape the frequency response of the hearing aid based on a person's listening preferences and favorite music genres: rock/pop, classical, jazz/blues or general music listening.
Phonak offers the SmartLink+ dynamic FM transmitter as the gateway to connectivity. The SmartLink+ features Bluetooth wireless technology for simple cellphone and MP3 player use, and audio input for wireless TV and other audio enjoyment. The SmartLink+ acts as the hearing instrument's remote control. Learn more at www.phonak.com.
Researchers working with Advanced Bionics have been studying the impact of a new sound processing option in their Harmony® cochlear implant processors. The T-Mic® on the sound processor is fully compatible with ear buds like those that come with MP3 players. Advanced
Bionics' newest sound processing option has an increased number of spectral bands with AutoSoundTM, a feature that continually adjusts the volume as you listen. In addition, their wide input dynamic range provides for hearing musical instruments and lyrics with better clarity (www.advancedbionics.com/CMS/Your-Journey-to-Hearing/Best-for-Music.aspx). With a number of resources for developing rhythm and pitch, Advanced Bionics' Listening Room is the perfect accompanimant for new cochlear implant users. Activities include recognition of music styles, famous tunes, musical instruments, music listening practice and music guides. Visit www.hearingjourney.com.
MED-EL's MaestroTM cochlear implant system, with new Fine HearingTM processing, has been shown to accurately detect small differences in pitch and transmit a wide range of tones, allowing users to better appreciate the richness and complexity of music. SoundScape is MED-EL's rehabilitation Web site, offering interactive listening and age-appropriate activities for toddlers through adults (www.medel.com/US/Rehabilitation/sound-scape.php) For the serious musician, there's Mu S.I.C., a tool to assess the listener's skill with pitch, rhythm and melody, as well as distinguishing chords, instruments, dissonance and emotional perception. (www.medel.com/US/Rehabilitation/Adult-Assessment.php).
Music Notes, a resource for therapists and rehabilitation professionals, offers activities for young listeners, music focus groups and music-making (www.medel.com/ US/Rehabilitation/Adult-Habilitation.php).
The CochlearTM Nucleus® 5 sound processor, featuring a dedicated MUSIC Power Program, offers both direct and wireless access to MP3 players, stereos, computers, televisions and gaming systems, and is compatible with many FM systems. Personal Audio Cables (PACs) are used for battery-operated audio devices that have a headphone jack. The T-Link is designed for use with the CI's telecoil, to direct sound from cell or cordless phones directly into the sound processor. In addition, the auto telecoil can automatically detect sound from a Bluetooth headset when it is worn on the ear (http://products.cochlearamer icas.com/cochlearimplants/nucleus-5-system/gettingconnected).
Cochlear recently introduced the world's first programmable sound processor designed for bone conduction: The Baha® BP100 has the same easy access and connectivity as Cochlear's other implant devices (http://bp100.cochlear.com/us/consumers).
Nannette Nicholson, Ph.D., is an associate professor and the director of Audiology in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology and has a joint faculty appointment at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and a clinical staff appointment at Arkansas Children's Hospital. E-mail her at NN@uams.edu. Dawn O'Brien Taylor, M.A., M.Ed., is an Au.D. graduate student at Bloomsburg University. The authors would like to express their appreciation to Ashley DeLaune, an audiology graduate student at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, for her assistance with this article.
Musicians, Listen Up!
Here's an irony: Hearing is basic to being able to make and appreciate music, but that same music cranked too loud for too long can damage hearing and impede appreciation of music! Don't be a victim of irony! Gear up before you chime in to ensure a long and happy future of hearing the music you make and love. Here are some tools to help.In-ear monitors (IEMs) are devices used by musicians, sound engineers and audiophiles to listen to music or to hear a custom-crafted mix of vocals and stage instruments for live performance or studio mixing. They are often custom fitted and provide a high level of noise reduction from ambient sounds. Westone® (www.westone.com) was a pioneer in IEM development as well as in custom ear pieces for monitors. They have worked with hundreds of famous musicians. Microsonic MusicTM (www.microsonicmusic.com) is another full-service earmold laboratory that has state-of-the-art IEMs. Westone, Microsonic and Starkey (www.trytunz.com) make custom ear pieces to fit MP3s, gaming devices, computers and more. We're not talking about fancy, high-priced earbuds or headphones; check out these manufacturers' Web sites to learn more about the listening and hearing preservation advantages of a custom fit.
In tandem with IEMs, ear filters specifically designed to help protect musicians' hearing can be used. Two popular filters from Etymotic Research (www.etymotic.com) are the ER15 and ER25. The ER15 filter reduces sound equally across frequencies by 15 decibels (dB), meaning that you still hear music accurately, but at a safer level. For example, the ER15 would reduce a sustained sound level of 100 dB to 85 dB, and the ER 25 would reduce it 25 dB to 75 dB. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, these are safe levels for eight hours of continuous exposure. These filters can be worn with universal ear tips or can be custom fit. You must see a hearing healthcare professional to get ear impressions taken for all custom products.
If you have already sustained a hearing loss, consider joining the Association of Adult Musicians with Hearing Loss (www.aamhl.org). Or for treatment of your specific music-induced hearing loss, check out the Musicians' Clinics of Canada, specializing in musicians' hearing (www.musiciansclinics.com). An informative article on hearing considerations for six different types of musicians by the clinic's Marshall Chasin, Au.D., can be downloaded at www.audiology.org/news/interviews/Documents/ Chasin6Musicians.pdf.
Music is one of many types of sound that can be toxic to hearing. To learn more about noise-induced
hearing loss and the National Institute of Health's "It's a Noisy Planet" campaign, in cooperation with Deafness Research Foundation, visit www.drf.org/NoisyPlanet.
