The Invisible Hearing Device - Have You Seen It?

Before the 19th century, trying to conceal a hearing device was virtually impossible. Most of the hearing instruments of the day consisted of large and unwieldy devices that were awkward to use and were definitely not easily portable. In the years following this era, though, inventors tried to create a smaller and more efficient hearing device that was easier to conceal. The models invented during this period were the beginnings of the popular hearing instruments that we know today.
The Acoustic Headband or Fashion Statement
If you talk about headbands today, you probably conjure up stylish bands made of all types of fabrics, metals, and plastics. In the early 19th century, hearing care was the purpose behind headbands, not fashion. The first concealed hearing device created by F.C. Rein was called the "acoustic headband." These hearing instruments were masked behind a hat or hairstyle and were designed in various shapes, ranging from a barrel to convoluted shells and fluted funnels. What was so unique about these devices was their attention to detail, and many were painted or adorned with lace, silk or ribbons. Both men and women could benefit from this type of hearing aid without drawing excessive attention to themselves while out in public.
The Acoustic Fan as a Cooling Device
A woman of the 1800's enjoyed carrying beautiful fans, especially in the warmer spring and summer months. Fans were not only a fashion statement, but also a way to keep a woman from passing out due to the tightness of her corset and stays. These delicate fans had another purpose too, and that was to serve as a hearing device. These hearing instruments were used as hearing care for anyone suffering from mild to moderate hearing loss but did not want the cumbersome look of a curving horn protruding from their ear.
Acoustic fans came in two varieties. The first hearing device, used mainly by women, was the air conduction fan. It was made of thin metal and laid partially open so the user could place the fan behind her ear to help direct sound into the ear canal. The second variety was the bone conduction fan. This oddly shaped fan resembled the looks of a ping-pong paddle and transmitted sound through vibrations of bone in the teeth and head. If used correctly, this type of acoustic fan could provide quality hearing care to a user with mild to moderate hearing damage.
An Acoustic Chair - The Original Audio Chair
This hearing device used an ordinary piece of furniture for hearing care. A tube would be place discretely in the back of a chair so the user could place it comfortably in his or her ear. Used mainly in the early 19th century, some of these hearing instruments wanted to uphold the standard of concealment while others incorporated large trumpets with the design of the chair. The overall object of this device was to allow individuals with hearing problems sit and listen to conversations without feeling conspicuous about their deafness.
Hearing instruments have come a long way in the past two centuries. Beginning with early inventions, such as the acoustic headband, people who suffered from hearing damage could live more normal lives than they could before. With the proper hearing device, hearing loss sufferers could go out in public and hear some of the same things that everybody else could hear.

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