Oliver Nipp, Erlangen
Video 7 2018
“Bluetooth connectivity for in-the-ear hearing aids: Development challenges”
Hearing aids with Bluetooth connectivity are now state-of-the-art. The advantages of a direct connection of the hearing aids with a smartphone are obvious: program control, changes in the hearing aid settings, streaming of music, and not least stereophonic calls are possible without further intermediate devices.
But why is there a multitude of behind-the-ear devices and hardly any in-the-ear devices with this functionality on the market? The reasons can be found in the specific technical challenges due to the much smaller and more individual housing. The integration of the Bluetooth functionality requires additional components that take up extra space. A particular challenge is the integration of a suitable high-frequency antenna to guarantee a stable communication link.
To ensure that the hearing aids are as discrete as possible, the antenna should not stick out from the device. On the other hand, the greater the distance to the auditory canal, the better the antenna’s performance.
This lecture shall address the specific challenges in the development and integration of Bluetooth functionality in in-the-ear devices.