Standards
Product compatibility
While technical implementation of standards is almost certain in some areas, the widespread emergence of practical solutions for users of present day hearing aids will only come about through the concerted willingness of telecommunication companies and hearing aid manufacturers to address this issue in a consumer-friendly way.
In this area the hearing aid industry has made considerable strides with regard to standardising acceptable levels of immunity for hearing aids through the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) [6] and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) [7}.
In addition there has existed for many years standards for hearing aids with regard to recommended values of magnetic field strength for the use of induction pick-up coils [8] and also for electrical input levels to hearing aids [9]. The magnetic field strength values have also been implemented for fixed line telephones by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) [10] and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU-T) [11]. In addition ETSI has standardised requirements for electrical connection to hearing aids [14] and additional amplification for those who do not use hearing aids [15]. Consequently the interface for hearing aids and additional amplification is well established.
However no such standardisation or agreement appears to exist in Europe for mobile phones to recognise such interface values. In the USA thought the ANSI standard [7] there is recognition and a statement of requirement for EMC compatibility between hearing aids and mobile phones.
Clearly, any efforts to provide additional functionality on an auxiliary basis are going to be hampered by the non-standardisation of input/output ports on mobile phones. Whilst it is easily recognised that standardisation of such ports may result in the loss of revenue by manufacturers who wish to vigorously pursue the ancillary equipment market some financial gains must be apparent when a piece of equipment can be declared compliant for general interface to third party products. Of more importance is the consumer satisfaction that such facilities will bring.
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