Hearing aid for increasing voice recognition through voice frequency downshift and/or voice substitution

A method of increasing recognition of a sound in an ear with a hearing aid, the hearing aid having a microphone, a microchip and a receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) engaging a body member of the hearing aid to the ear;
• b) receiving an analog signal defining the sound with the microphone of the hearing aid;
• c) converting the analog signal from the microphone into a digital signal with the microchip of the hearing aid;
• d) reducing a frequency of the digital signal below a prescribed frequency level with the microchip;
• e) reconverting the digital signal back into the analog signal with the microchip;
• and
• f) delivering the analog signal below the prescribed frequency level into the ear with the receiver of the hearing aid so as to increase the recognition of the sound in the ear.

A hearing aid for increasing recognition of a sound in an ear, the hearing aid comprising:

• a body member sized and configured to be engaged to the ear;
• a microphone engaged to the body member for receiving the sound;
• a receiver engaged to the body member for reproducing a substituted sound in the ear;
• and
• a control unit located externally from the body member and being in wireless communication with the microphone and the receiver thereof, the control unit being operative to receive the sound wirelessly from the microphone to process the sound into the substituted sound, the control unit further being operative to transmit the substituted sound wirelessly to the receiver for reproducing the substituted sound in the ear and increase the recognition of the sound in the ear.

A method of increasing recognition of a sound in an ear with a hearing aid, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) engaging a body member of the hearing aid to the ear;
• b) receiving the sound with the microphone of the hearing aid;
• c) transmitting the sound wirelessly from the microphone to the control unit of the hearing aid;
• d) processing the sound into a substituted sound with the control unit;
• e) transmitting the substituted sound wirelessly from the control unit to the receiver of the hearing aid;
• and
• f) reproducing the substituted sound in the ear to increase the recognition of the sound in the ear.