On this day in history, September 23, 1879, American inventor Richard Rhodes received a patent for a hearing aid called the Audiphone. The device consisted of a fan made of a hard rubber material that used the operator’s teeth and jaw bone to conduct sound vibrations and improve hearing.
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Rhodes, president of the Rhodes and McClure Publishing Company, suffered from a conductive hearing loss, and he was frustrated with his continuous failed encounters with ear trumpets. However, when he held the devices up to his mouth, he could hear the ticking of his watch. This realization inspired his development of the Audiphone.
The Audiphone was constructed from a flexible sheet of polished black vulcanite, with a handle, and was made into the shape of a fan. It was designed to be held loosely in the hand, with the upper edge placed just under the upper teeth with slight pressure. The lower teeth should not be allowed to come into contact with the hearing device.
Users could improve their hearing up to 30 decibels, which is equivalent to a soft conversation heard a few feet away in a quiet room. In January 1981, Rhodes received a patent for a folding version of his Audiphone. The updated model was awarded a medal at the World’s Columbia Exhibition in Chicago in 1893.