Cros Hearing Aids

CROS

For individuals with no residual hearing in one ear and normal hearing in the other ear, there is a device called a CROS (contralateral routing of signals). A microphone is worn on the impaired ear. FM transmitters then route the sound to an amplifier and receiver worn on the better ear.

BICROS

For those individuals with no residual hearing in one ear and a mild to moderate loss in the other ear, there is a device called a BiCROS (Binaural Contralateral Routing of Signals). A microphone is worn on the non-aidable ear and sound is routed by FM transmitters to a microphone amplifier and receiver worn on the better ear, which also acts as a hearing aid.

MultiCROS

MultiCROS (Multiple Contralateral Routing of Signals) is the same as a BiCROS but is equipped with a toggle switch that enables the user to turn the “CROS” mode off on the poorer ear and use the remaining device as a single hearing aid. This is useful when the user does not want to pick up sounds from the direction of the poorer ear (for example: riding in a car and the user does not want to amplify wind noise when the poorer ear is near the window).




Advantages of CROS, BiCROS, and MultiCROS hearing devices:

  • Sounds toward the impaired ear can be heard without turning the ear towards the source
  • Provides cues for locating the direction of sound
  • Restores a sense of balance