PSAPs

Personal sound amplification products, not hearing aids

Overview

Personal sound amplification products, PSAPs, are wearable electronic devices that amplify sound for people without hearing loss in particular situations, such as hunting, birdwatching, or listening to distant speakers. In the United States they are regulated as consumer electronics rather than medical devices and may not be marketed as treating hearing loss, a distinction that remains after the creation of over the counter hearing aids. Quality ranges from simple amplifiers to devices with electronics similar to hearing aids. Some research has found that higher quality PSAPs can improve speech understanding for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, which contributed to policy debate about access to amplification. Unlike hearing aids, they do not involve hearing assessment, prescriptive fitting, or output limits designed for hearing loss, and use of a PSAP in place of an evaluation can delay recognition of conditions such as sudden or one sided hearing loss.