A short instruction on how to find, download and install swissHear on an Android mobile phone.
Video Tutorials
Configuration and first steps using swissHear
Pressing all the buttons that will make your device run with swissHear
Choosing headphones for swissHear
This video explains which headphones are best for swissHear and how you can connect them.
You need patience...
Fitting a hearing aid is not like buying glasses. Your hearing has decreased slowly over a long time and your brain was able to compensate. You only start noticing that you have a hearing problem, when your brain is at it's wits' end. Pluging in a hearing aid will make noises explode in your head, because all compensation mechanisms are set to maximum. Please give your brain 2 to 3 weeks time to recalibrate it's audio system...
Start your daily training in a simple situation with only one person talking in a low voice. Increase complexity slowly to avoid frustration.
There is no hearing aid on the market that will allow you to follow a group discussions in a loud restaurant. But in this kind of environment it is possible to put your device in front of your partner and hear his voice using the number '1' setting of your BioAid category in swissHear.
Les écouteurs convenables
Nous recommandons des écouteurs de qualité mais sans microphone. Ceux-ci ont trois anneaux de contact sur la fiche. Les casques d'écoute avec microphone font résonner votre voix anormalement et ne conviennent pas aux situations conversationnelles (cinq anneaux de contact sur la fiche). Toutefois, vous pouvez utiliser des casques d'écoute dans certaines situations (cinéma, théâtre, concert...) car ils fournissent de bons services si la personne elle-même ne parle pas. swissHear conduit à un retard dans le discours. Ainsi, des écouteurs fermés peuvent s'avérer bénéfiques. Beaucoup de gens ressentent la qualité sonore comme désagréable et préfèrent des écouteurs ouverts. Les écouteurs fermés portés sur les oreilles ont une très bonne qualité sonore, mais ils sont dérangeants pour certaines personnes. Si vous vous sentez à l'aise dans une situation, tout dépend toujours des écouteurs.
Extension-Cord: a phone cord extension will allow you to place your device in front of a speaker and extend the range of your headphones. You can talk to him as if he were sitting right next to you and talking into your ear.
USB-C Adapter: modern phones have don't have a classic headphone jack anymore. They usually come with a USB-C adapter, that allows attaching existing headsets or headphones. The above stated rules apply. If you want to use the build in microphones of your mobile you will need to use a headphone and not a headset.
Bluetooth Headsets are now supported by swissHear. Due to the large number of different implementations of Bluetooth on Android mobiles and earphones we cannot guarantee that it will work in every case. Bluetooth still has a noticeable latency. You have to pair your phone with the Bluetooth headphones and wait until the connection has been established. Then you can restart swissHear and use the device. Usually swissHear will use the built in microphones of the mobile so that you can put your phone in front of the speaker and sit on the other side of the table or even farther away.
Appareils pris en charge
swissHear fonctionne sur tous les Smartphones. Il est toutefois conseillé d'utiliser un appareil avec Android OS 6.0 afin de pouvoir utiliser le support du son avec un décalage de temps minimal et stereo. Des Smartphones équipés d'Android 5 fonctionnent tout de même, mais avec un temps de latence plus long.
Les réglages à swissHear
- IMPORTANT : Utilisez un casque d’écoute « normal ». Les casques fournis avec un microphone intégré ne conviennent pas et n'offrent pas de son stéréo. Un casque moins cher vendu au supermarché est suffisant.
- L’application est enclenchée et désactivé par le bouton au centre de l'interrupteur du volume.
- La grande roue rouge ajuste le volume. Faites-la tourner avec vos doigts.
- En bas, une pression sur le bouton vous permet de supprimer votre voix lorsque vous commencez à parler.
- Vous sélectionnez avec la petite boîte blanche « Mono/Stéréo », si vous voulez un support de son mono ou si vous optez pour du stéréo.
BioAid configuration
The BioAid algorithm has been adapted to typical hearing problems. You can open the configuration page by tapping on the "BioAid" text. You can choose between the settings for common hearing disorders. Most users will find their correct setting easily.
Please use a situation where you have different voices in the background. A soap will do fine if you set the volume of the TV in such a way that you just begin to have difficulties understanding what is said.
- A: flat loss, equal amplification across the whole frequency spectrum
- B: gradual high frequency loss, gentle aplification gradient towards high frequencies
- C: sharp high frequency loss, steep amplification gradient toward high frequencies
- D: mid frequency loss at 1 kHz (deep tones), mid frequency boost at 1 kHz
- E: mid frequency loss at 2 kHz (higher tones), mid frequency boost at 2 kHz
- F: cookie loss, broad mid frequency boost
More information on hearing loss
Your decision to do something about your hearing loss begins with understanding what is happening. Here is information for you or someone you know who may have trouble hearing. Get accurate information about hearing loss, its causes and what to do about it. The Hearing Loss Association of America contracted with Knowlera Media to produce a series of seven, four-minute, captioned videos on hearing loss. Information you need to be adequately briefed on the topic is all in one place in an easy-to-access format. If you think you have a hearing loss or know someone who does, please point them to the videos where hearing health care professionals and people with hearing loss talk about what you can do about it.
Warning and disclaimer
Impaired hearing can be further damaged by exposing it to excessive noise. Use the settings with care and keep amplification as low as possible. Ask a person with intact hearing to check the volume and noise level.
swissHear is not a medical software or device. It is your personal responsibility to protect your ears. The manufacturer and owner of the swissHear project is not liable for any damage caused by the use of this software.