Hearing aids can cost thousands of dollars, but a Chicago area man has invented a much cheaper alternative.
Stavros Basseas, president of Sound World Solutions, was previously an engineer working in the hearing aid field. Basseas opened his business hoping to help developing countries find hearing aids where there are none available. That opened another opportunity in the United States.
"You need to give people some options for them to understand how much they're missing," Basseas explains. "How much easier it would be, having the reading glasses to read the newspaper and for having the amplifier to help you out in difficult situations?"
His invention is called CS10 and uses Bluetooth technology to give people back their hearing. It looks exactly like a small Bluetooth, except it serves as an undercover amplifier. You can control it by following the instructions spoken to you in the earpiece or you can connect to it with your smart phone.
"You can actually adjust the volume, you can adjust the treble, you can adjust the bass," says Basseas. Dr. Regan Thomas from the University of Illinois College of Medicine says if you're experiencing hearing loss, it's best to check with a physician. "It's much less expensive and for mild or moderate hearing loss it might be a good alternative," Dr. Thomas says. "I think all of the professionals would agree, it's probably not as accurate for individuals as a hearing aid, but it's a good thing to have maybe for dinner parties or situations where you're having difficulty hearing."
Some doctors are concerned that by using this device, you may overlook more serious and progressive hearing issues if you don't see a doctor. The earpiece will run you about $300.
Source: Fox 32 Phoenix
They are not at all good for mild hearing loss. I bought one and it only worked well in a silent setting (me alone watching TV). Was not able to return it or test drive it.
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