Directional hearing with bilateral bone-conduction hearing aids

Abstract

　Sound source localization in daily life is one of the important functions of binaural hearing. In the past, bone-conduction hearing aids were often worn unilaterally for conductive hearing loss, such as bilateral microtia and atresia of the ears. Directional hearing is also achieved when a person with bilateral conductive hearing loss wears bone-conduction hearing aids in both ears, however, it does not reach the accuracy of directional hearing of a person with normal hearing. Binaural bone-conduction hearing aids may promote the development of the auditory system in infants with bilateral microtia and atresia of the ears, and may reduce the inconvenience of daily life in persons with conductive hearing loss.