My intention is simply to program my own hearing aids. Then I just want to enjoy life. However, I’ve suddenly realised that there are many interesting possibilities which would open up if every user had programming equipment.
Great idea 1: Your settings are not only stored in your hearing aids; they are stored as data files on one or more computers. So consider this: you should be able to send just the data file to your audiologist so that they can make minor tweaks based on your comments and send the files back to you. Just think how many hours that would save us on visiting audiologists and how fast it could be!
The excitement doesn’t stop there…
Great idea 2: If you can swap files with your audiologist, there would be nothing stopping you swapping files with other users. It could be a recipe for chaos but, with the right controls in place, it could be great. What’s needed is a matchmaking service or lonely hearts club for hearing aids!
Pretend that the different hearing aids are the males and the audiograms are the females. For each male/female combination, there should be one perfect set of settings for eternal happiness – and we know that they are not usually (or ever?) the default settings that the hearing aid manufacturer’s software suggests.
How would it be if you could upload your hearing aid model and your audiogram to a website, along with your hearing aid’s data file? Then you could search for and download the other data files which correspond to your hearing aid and audiogram. Perhaps it would be faster, easier or more fun to download preset profiles that other people are satisfied with rather than blindly tweaking your own parameters around? If nothing else, someone else’s profile might make a far better starting point for programming than whatever settings you already have.
For greater usability, data files could have interesting names like “Tranquility mix”, “Psychedelic mix” or, for a bit of a laugh, “Disney mix” (in which everyone sounds like the famous mouse and duck). I can see a lot of possibilities in this.
Great idea 1: Your settings are not only stored in your hearing aids; they are stored as data files on one or more computers. So consider this: you should be able to send just the data file to your audiologist so that they can make minor tweaks based on your comments and send the files back to you. Just think how many hours that would save us on visiting audiologists and how fast it could be!
The excitement doesn’t stop there…
Great idea 2: If you can swap files with your audiologist, there would be nothing stopping you swapping files with other users. It could be a recipe for chaos but, with the right controls in place, it could be great. What’s needed is a matchmaking service or lonely hearts club for hearing aids!
Pretend that the different hearing aids are the males and the audiograms are the females. For each male/female combination, there should be one perfect set of settings for eternal happiness – and we know that they are not usually (or ever?) the default settings that the hearing aid manufacturer’s software suggests.
How would it be if you could upload your hearing aid model and your audiogram to a website, along with your hearing aid’s data file? Then you could search for and download the other data files which correspond to your hearing aid and audiogram. Perhaps it would be faster, easier or more fun to download preset profiles that other people are satisfied with rather than blindly tweaking your own parameters around? If nothing else, someone else’s profile might make a far better starting point for programming than whatever settings you already have.
For greater usability, data files could have interesting names like “Tranquility mix”, “Psychedelic mix” or, for a bit of a laugh, “Disney mix” (in which everyone sounds like the famous mouse and duck). I can see a lot of possibilities in this.
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