The History of Hearing Aids
From: IEEE – The Institute – 07/22/2013
By: Sheldon Hochheiser

Technology for the hearing impaired has come a long way

Devices for the hearing-impaired have a long history. Until the late 19th century, hearing aids were acoustic and offered only modest amplification.
They were cartoonish ear trumpets: tubular or funnel-shaped devices supported in one hand that collected sound waves and funneled them to the ear. The development of electrical technologies, however, opened new possibilities for amplification.

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http://theinstitute.ieee.org/technology-focus/technology-history/the-history-of-hearing-aids