By Jennifer Groth, M.A.
Myth #2: ALL “wireless hearing aids” require users to wear something around the neck to be connected.
Unfortunately, many of the so-called “wireless” hearing aids currently on the market do require the user to wear a neck loop. This is because these hearing aids require near field magnetic induction and do not offer wireless capability themselves – it’s the neck worn loop that provides the wireless connection, not the hearing aid.
However, recent technological breakthroughs in the miniaturization of radio frequency antennae have enabled hearing instruments to embed the radio antenna inside the hearing instrument. This approach provides a direct connection from the hearing aid to the wireless audio transmitter (typically connected to the television or other audio device), eliminating the need for the user to wear any intermediary device around their neck and allowing them to be up to 90 feet from the transmitter. This mobility is key to practical every day use of a hearing instrument. E.g. How many people would use a cordless phone if it only worked in one room of their house?