Welcome
... to the Eriksholm Museum -  a unique hearing aid museum hosting an impressive collection of mechanical, electrical and electronic hearing instruments. 

Travel through time 
... and see how hearing aids have developed and advanced over the last three centuries, including mechanical hearing devices, such as hearing trumpets, horns and speaking tubes of various materials and sizes.

This old Multi Acousticon dates back to 1910. It was a portable table model - the strongest Acousticon model at that time.

The fast development of electrical technology triggered the production of many new hearing instruments. One of them was registered under the name of Acousticus in 1932. The Acousticon model 30 on the right was built in 1933. Batteries got smaller, efficiency was improved and a booster was developed to enhance the impedance difference between receiver and microphone.

The first real Oticon instrument – the Oticon Model TA - was presented in 1946 and sold in three different configurations. This very popular device was exported to countries around the world and became the start of Oticon’s successful export business. 

In 1947 the transistor was invented at Bell laboratories and by1953 the first transistorised hearing instruments were introduced. This new development proved to be a fantastic improvement for hearing aid users. The picture to the right shows an Oticon model T3 from 1953 – one of the first transistorised hearing instruments in Europe.

The transistor also made new styles possible. Behind-The-Ear (BTE) instruments first became available around 1954. 

New technology combined with a broader understanding of audiology resulted in the development of even better hearing aids. The Oticon Focal Sound model 566 from 1968 features a special double hook. Sounds are picked up by the tip of the hook (the auricle) to enhance sound localization.

In-The-Ear (ITE) instruments were introduced as early as 1955. For various reasons, particularly size, most of them protruded from the ear. This style first became popular towards the end of the seventies. This Oticon model I11 is a modular ITE from 1979.

Hybrid technology enabled manufacturers to develop even smaller, more advanced hearing aids. People with hearing impairments preferred to hide their hearing loss and hearing instruments, which made In-The-Ear hearing instruments increasingly popular.

Until the end of the eighties hearing aid development was dependent on the available technology. But then intensive psycho-acoustic research began to set the pace. Research performed at the Eriksholm Research Centre, resulted in a brand new concept and a new hearing aid called MultiFocus. It was the first of its kind without a volume control.

The option to be able to program hearing instruments also contributed to performance improvements. Oticon's first programmable hearing aid was developed based on the knowledge gained from MultiFocus. The new In-The-Canal (ITC) instrument – called microFocus - was introduced in 1995. Cosmetically attractive with high quality sound, microFocus represented a breakthrough in ITE hearing instruments.

Advanced technology, audiological research and a move towards more user-oriented products resulted in a truly revolutionary breakthrough - the first fully digital hearing aid. This unique piece of technology, called DigiFocus, is now available in a variety of styles and is fitted using the audiological knowledge gathered by researchers at Eriksholm. DigiFocus was introduced in Denmark in April 1996.

DigiFocus II - a new series of hearing aids including a full range of styles from CIC (Completely-In-the-Canal) to Power BTE (Behind-The-Ear) - was introduced in 1999/2000. Meanwhile, the ITE (In-The-Ear) instruments were redesigned to make them even more attractive. DigiFocus II provides a considerable improvement in sound quality as well as many advanced features.

Historical information
It is the ambition of the Eriksholm Collection to gather as much historical information as possible about Oticon and Acousticon as well as hearing aids from other companies. 

Contact us
If you have any antique hearing aids, historical documentation, pictures of hearing aids or people wearing them, or any other Oticon-related information, we would be pleased to hear from you. Write to Claus Nielsen, at Eriksholm Research Centre, 243 Kongevejen, DK-3070 Snekkersten. 

As a special service we provide answers to questions regarding antique hearing aids (all brands) and the history of Oticon and Eriksholm. Please send your questions via email to history@oticon.dk .