The Evolution of Behind-the-Ear Devices: How the Design Has Transformed in the Last Ten Years

If one thinks at how the behind-the-ear devices were constructed only ten or twelve years ago, the difference with what we see today is, in a certain sense, remarkable. The persons who have had the necessity to use these instruments remember well the old models: large, visible, of a colour that tried to imitate the skin but that in reality drew the attention of everyone. Today the situation is completely different, and it is important to understand how and why this transformation has happened.

In this article, I will walk through the principal changes that have interested the design of these devices, from the form to the technology, from the materials to the connection with the other instruments of the daily life. The objective is to offer a clear and complete picture to who must make a choice, or simply to who wishes to comprehend better this world.

From Visible and Bulky to Discreet and Light

The first and most evident change is that which concerns the dimensions and the aspect. In the period between 2013 and 2016, the majority of the behind-the-ear devices presented a body that was clearly visible above the ear. The thickness was notable, the weight often exceeded the ten grams, and the tube that carried the sound to the canal of the ear was rigid and of a grey colour.

In the successive years, the engineers have worked above all on two fronts:

• The miniaturisation of the internal components – the processors, the microphones, and the receivers have become smaller year after year, permitting to reduce the external shell.
• The redesign of the form – the devices have assumed a more curved and anatomical shape, which follows the natural line behind the ear without creating a visible bump.

Today, many models weigh between the three and the five grams. The tubes are thin, almost transparent, and the entire device can be hidden in a natural way from the hair or from the glasses. For the person who wears it, this has a psychological value that goes beyond the simple aesthetic: one feels less “marked,” and this improves the willingness to use the device for all the hours of the day.

The Revolution in the Processing of the Sound

It would be a mistake to think that the evolution has interested only the exterior aspect. In the interior of these small instruments, the change has been perhaps even more profound.

Ten years ago, the sound processing was essentially linear: the microphone captured the sound, the amplifier raised the volume, and the receiver sent it to the ear. The person heard louder, yes, but not necessarily in a more clear way. The background noise was amplified together with the voice, and in the environments like the restaurants or the stations, the result was often confusing and tiring.

The devices of the last five or six years, instead, utilise sophisticated algorithms that:

• Separate the voice from the ambient noise in real time
• Reduce automatically the volume of the sudden and sharp sounds (the plates that fall, the traffic horns)
• Adapt the amplification to the specific frequencies that the person has lost, without raising the volumes that are still perceived well
• Offer directional microphones that focus on who speaks in front, reducing what arrives from behind

In this sense, the listening experience has passed from a simple “hearing more” to a true “hearing better,” with a significant reduction of the mental fatigue at the end of the day.

Materials and Comfort: What Has Changed for Who Wears the Device

Another aspect that often is undervalued concerns the materials. In the past, the shells were constructed in hard plastic that could irritate the skin after various hours of use. The domes that entered in the ear canal were often of a silicone that became rigid with the time, and the sensation of occlusion – that feeling of “having the ear plugged” – was a lament very common among the users.

The manufacturers have responded to these problems introducing:

• Hypoallergenic and breathable materials for the shells and the domes
• Ventilated domes that permit the passage of the natural air, reducing the sensation of closure
• Flexible and ultra-thin tubes that do not press against the skin
• Rechargeable lithium batteries that have eliminated the necessity to handle and substitute the small disposable cells every three or four days

This last point deserves a particular mention. The passage to the rechargeable batteries, which has become standard more or less from 2019 onwards, has simplified enormously the daily management, above all for the elderly persons who had difficulty with the manipulation of the tiny old batteries.

Connectivity and the Integration in the Daily Life

The behind-the-ear device of today is not anymore an isolated instrument. The possibility to connect it in wireless way to the telephone, to the television, to the computer has changed the manner in which the persons interact with the sounds around them.

One can receive the telephone calls directly in the ears, listen to the music, follow the audio of a film without passing from the external speakers. Many devices permit also the adjustment of the parameters through an application on the telephone: the person can modify the volumes, select a programme for the restaurant or for the theatre, and in some cases also receive a remote assistance from the audiologist without leaving the house.

This integration has made the device a part of the technological ecosystem of the person, and no more an object separated and a little embarrassing.

Taking Care of the Hearing in a Complete Way: Beyond the Device

There is, however, a consideration that I believe is important to make. The device is an instrument of compensation, but it does not substitute the care of the auditory health in its totality. The cells of the inner ear, once damaged, do not regenerate, and for this reason the prevention and the nutritional support of the auditory system maintain a relevant role.

In the last years, a growing number of persons has begun to associate to the use of the device also a attention to the nutrition and to the integration of specific micronutrients that sustain the microcirculation and the cellular health of the ear. In this context, products as Acuvit have found a space as a complementary support, offering formulations studied for the auditory wellness. For who desires to inform itself on this approach, the resource acuvit.health presents information and details on the composition and the rationale behind this type of integration.

Naturally, it is always advisable to speak with the own physician or with the audiologist before initiating any type of supplementation, above all if one assumes other medications. The device and the care of the general health walk together, but one does not substitute the other.

What to Look For When Choosing a Device Today

For who finds itself in the necessity to choose a behind-the-ear device, the offer is vast and it is easy to feel disoriented. I suggest to keep in consideration these practical elements:

A practical advice: do not decide only on the base of the technical sheet. The best device is the one that the person effectively wears with constancy, and for this the comfort and the discretion are as important as the quality of the sound.

Final Considerations

In the space of a decade, the behind-the-ear device has passed from being a visible and somewhat imposed object to a discreet, light, and technologically advanced instrument. The persons who today approach to these solutions for the first time have at disposal a variety of choices that was simply unthinkable fifteen years ago.

The important thing, in my opinion, is to maintain a vision of together: the device resolves the problem of the amplification, but the hearing is a function that involves the entire organism. To protect it with the prevention, with the correct habits, and with a conscious attention to the nutrition means to give value to the instrument that one wears and, above all, to the years of listening that one still has in front of oneself.