Coclear Implant and Hearing Aid Improvement Survey

J

jklai

New Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2009
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Hello "Alldeaf.com" members! I am a biomedical engineering student at Arizona State University, and I was wondering if you would be so kind as to assist me with my senior design project by taking a brief survey (a simple reply in this thread or a PM with your survey responses is enough).

As a quick background - this year, my group is designing a medical device that could potentially be an alternative/supplement to cochlear implants and hearing aids for the hard of hearing and deaf. For now, I'm going to refrain from providing any more detail so that this survey could be taken without unnecessary bias or preconceived hypotheses.

And feel free to leave questions blank answer, or elaborate as much as you want (even if not relevant to the question). Any reply would be very much appreciated! Thank you!

----------

1. Are you a user of a medical device(s) for hearing impairment (cochlear implant, hearing aid, et cetera)? If so, please state/describe it/them. If not, is there a particular reason why not?

The remaining questions assume you answered yes to the previous question:

2. How often do you use this device and under what circumstances?

3. Please walk us through a typical session using the device in as much (or little) detail as you please.

4. What do you like about the device?

5. What do you dislike about the device?

6. What issues did you consider when initially choosing the device?

7. What improvements would you make to the device?

----------

Thank you again for your help!
 
Well to get you going since no one has answered, I shall try to be helpful and go first.

1. Are you a user of a medical device(s) for hearing impairment (cochlear implant, hearing aid, et cetera)? If so, please state/describe it/them. If not, is there a particular reason why not?
- Yes, I wear two behind the ear hearing aids called versata power aids by phonak

The remaining questions assume you answered yes to the previous question:

2. How often do you use this device and under what circumstances?
-Everyday unless I am tired of listening and sometimes when I am just at home alone and want peace and quiet.
3. Please walk us through a typical session using the device in as much (or little) detail as you please.
- Put them on, replace batteries if needed, wear them, adjust volume or setting/program if needed, take out if needed, clean before bed and put in dry store.

4. What do you like about the device?
-It's nice not too big

5. What do you dislike about the device?
- The technical issues I've had with it lol

6. What issues did you consider when initially choosing the device?
- Not many...i wanted a hearing aid that would work and fit my hearing loss and lifestyle

7. What improvements would you make to the device?
- Better programs to eliminate certain unwanted noises
 
Thank you very much for your cooperation, AliciaM! I was beginning to think I wouldn't get any responses, but your reply sparked some hope for me

Anyway, your input is definitely helpful and will be taken into account; I appreciate the assistance!
 
jklai said:
Thank you very much for your cooperation, AliciaM! I was beginning to think I wouldn't get any responses, but your reply sparked some hope for me

Anyway, your input is definitely helpful and will be taken into account; I appreciate the assistance!
Click to expand...

I have a Deaf daughter (age 6) who uses a hearing aid and a cochlear implant. Would you like my feedback about the devices?
 
faire_jour, I would love to hear your feedback on your daughter's devices. In fact, it would especially helpful to receive a statement regarding younger users.
 
1. Are you a user of a medical device(s) for hearing impairment (cochlear implant, hearing aid, et cetera)? If so, please state/describe it/them. If not, is there a particular reason why not?

My daughter used 2 hearing aids (Oticon Gaia) from age 20 (April 2004)months until she received an Advanced Bionics Harmony cochlear implant in her right ear November 2, 2008. She still wears the hearing aid in her left ear.

The remaining questions assume you answered yes to the previous question:

2. How often do you use this device and under what circumstances?

She wears both devices all waking hours since she received them.

3. Please walk us through a typical session using the device in as much (or little) detail as you please.

Her cochlear implant is dominate, despite the fact that she is a new user. With her CI is is able to understand a lot of spoken language (without lipreading). Her hearing aid, she is only able to distinquish very familiar words (such as her name).

4. What do you like about the device?

Her hearing aids have been very reliable. In 5 years they have never needed sent in for repair. Her CI is amazing. I never realized that she could have the opportunity to hear this well. Her spoken language has exploded and she loves hearing.

5. What do you dislike about the device?

The only tiny critism I could give is that when her T-coil option is activated on her CI, we no longer have the "warning light" avaliable.

6. What issues did you consider when initially choosing the device?

We looked at the technical information provided by the implant companies, talked to their professionals, and decided that AB made the better product. We believe that the Hi Fidelity 120 programming in the best out there, and that the larger dynamic range, faster processing speed, and concurrent stimulation, make for a better outcome. We also didn't like all the different "stratagies" that Cochlear had to "improve" listening and change the imput. Her brain is fine, if it get the signal in it's original form, her brain will figure it out. We also liked the T-mic in the ear, and how it looked best :D

7. What improvements would you make to the device?

It could stand it be a little smaller. But other than that, we love it.
 
1. Are you a user of a medical device(s) for hearing impairment (cochlear implant, hearing aid, et cetera)? If so, please state/describe it/them. If not, is there a particular reason why not?

Profound deafness since birth, aided from 2 to 30 with phonak superfonts (2 to 22) Widex senso (22 to 30) Now Cochlear Freedom CI in right ear and Unitron BE55 in left ear

The remaining questions assume you answered yes to the previous question:

2. How often do you use this device and under what circumstances?

With HA's As much as possible, i suffer from recuirtment and tinnitus, I often need to turn my HA's off alot to give myself a rest.

With CI all my waking hours, I don't notice any tinnitus with it on.

3. Please walk us through a typical session using the device in as much (or little) detail as you please.

wake up, shower, blow dry my hair, clothed, breakfast, take my ci out of dri store, wear all day (change battery if necessary), do usual stuff, put my CI back in dri box and go to bed.

4. What do you like about the device?

It gave me the sounds I never heard before! Including speech sounds
5. What do you dislike about the device?

bulky and bit heavy

6. What issues did you consider when initially choosing the device?

I had very difficult decision between AB and Cochlear, the choice of batteries won me over as I travel extensively.

7. What improvements would you make to the device?

Cochlear has already released latest processor "Nucleus 5" which is smaller and lighter... I shall look forward to my upgrade day!!!:D
 
1. Are you a user of a medical device(s) for hearing impairment (cochlear implant, hearing aid, et cetera)? If so, please state/describe it/them. If not, is there a particular reason why not?

Nucleus Freedom in left ear, been implanted since the age of 10, wear a Spirit 3 SP hearing aid in right.

The remaining questions assume you answered yes to the previous question:

2. How often do you use this device and under what circumstances?

I use my CI on a daily basis, I like to wear it in later morning around 8/9am.
I wear my HA on a daily basis, all waking hours.
3. Please walk us through a typical session using the device in as much (or little) detail as you please.

Wake up, put hearing aid on, get dressed, put CI on and get on with my day, remove my CI about 10/11pm as I usually just on computer anyway then last thing to do before bed it to remove HA
4. What do you like about the device?
I really like my CI, it really helps me, it's nice and comfy.

5. What do you dislike about the device?
It's too chunky sometimes. I dislike my HA at times as it doesnt really help me much

6. What issues did you consider when initially choosing the device?
I cant remember, my parents choose it all and everything

7. What improvements would you make to the device?
Make it smaller(cant wait to get nucleus 5), less batteries. And also more colours
 
1. Are you a user of a medical device(s) for hearing impairment (cochlear implant, hearing aid, et cetera)? If so, please state/describe it/them.

Cochlear Freedom on right side - Spring of 2005. Nothing on left side.

2. How often do you use this device and under what circumstances?

I use it the entire day. Essentially, I use it to hear everything.

3. Please walk us through a typical session using the device in as much (or little) detail as you please.
As I mentioned before in #2, I use it for everything including phones to communicate and basically don't lipread either. Also, I listen to music, talk shows and etc.

4. What do you like about the device?
It works very well for me and that it is very, very reliable.

5. What do you dislike about the device?
Getting only three days of power out of the batteries. Also, it isn't as sweatproof as I would like it to be.

6. What issues did you consider when initially choosing the device?
Too long to go into here but I just felt it was the best choice for me.

7. What improvements would you make to the device?
Make it smaller
Use less power
Change the transmitter coil design so it last longer and be cheaper to replace.
 
1. Are you a user of a medical device(s) for hearing impairment (cochlear implant, hearing aid, et cetera)? If so, please state/describe it/them. If not, is there a particular reason why not?

I have bilateral Siemens Reflex DSP hearing aids and at university I use a Phonak Smartlink SX fm system.


2. How often do you use this device and under what circumstances?

I wear my hearing aids all my waking hours and the fm system all day whilst I am at uni.


3. Please walk us through a typical session using the device in as much (or little) detail as you please.

Get up, wash, put in HAs, have breakfast and on uni days attach audioshoes with fm receiver to my HAs. After arriving home I take audioshoes and fm receivers off, but put my HAs back in immediately and take them out at bed time. On non-uni days I only use fm system if I need it to listen to my IPod or my computer.

4. What do you like about the device?

With HAs I can hear, without them I can't. My Smartlink enables me to hear lecturers in uni, when otherwise I would struggle to hear them, even at close distance, it's also useful for other things like IPod and computer. These digital HAs are better than analogue HAs I used to have. They have different programmes to cut out background noise etc.

5. What do you dislike about the device?

The design of my HAs is quite flimsy, the battery drawers have broken on both of them in the last 18 months, since I've had them. Sometimes I get interference from other electrical equipment with my fm system, which is annoying if you are trying to listen to a lecture.

6. What issues did you consider when initially choosing the device?

Because I am British I couldn't choose which hearing aids I had, I just had to have what the National Health Service was willing to provide.

7. What improvements would you make to the device?

Siemens should make their HAs a bit more durable. My fm system would be better if it didn't pick up interference.
 
Thank you for all the replies; there are more responses than I was expecting! I appreciate all of your cooperation
 
1. Are you a user of a medical device(s) for hearing impairment (cochlear implant, hearing aid, et cetera)? If so, please state/describe it/them. If not, is there a particular reason why not?

Nucleus Freedom in left ear, been implanted since July 7th. I used to have hearing aid in my right.

The remaining questions assume you answered yes to the previous question:

2. How often do you use this device and under what circumstances?

I use my CI daily. I can hear everything.

3. Please walk us through a typical session using the device in as much (or little) detail as you please.

Wake, take shower, blow the dryer on my hair, get dressed, put CI on, before go to bed and remove my CI at 11pm/12am

4. What do you like about the device?
I really like my CI, it really helps me, it's nice and comfy. I have no issue the headache with CI.

5. What do you dislike about the device?
hearing aid because it make me headache and beep beep, have to take responsible to clean the earmold and wax out all the times! CI don't make me headache.

6. What issues did you consider when initially choosing the device?
I choose the Nucleus Freedom for reason. The hearing aids can't make choice of brand, which i dislike it.

7. What improvements would you make to the device?
Make it smaller(cant wait to get nucleus 5), less batteries. And also more colors cover
 
Back
Top