Hearing loss is one of the most common forms of disability, with the World Health Organization (WHO) estimating that one in 10 people has disabling hearing difficulties. In the US, up to 13% of all Americans aged 12 and older experience hearing loss in one or both ears. Of this population, nearly 29 million are hard of hearing to such a degree that they can benefit from wearing a hearing aid.
That said, a OnePoll survey estimates that about 46% of hearing aid users don’t wear their devices regularly. According to studies in Forbes magazine, this could be because many users find their hearing aids outdated and cumbersome, meaning they cause more hassle than they help. In line with this, several industry stakeholders have taken it upon themselves to enhance assistive hearing technology to make it sleeker, smarter, and ultimately more appealing.
Discreet open-ear design
As per the above-mentioned survey, 66% of respondents said they’d be more willing to use a hearing aid if it was less visible. This demand has spurred the creation of more advanced hearing solutions that consider discretion. Case in point, Nuance has developed hearing aid glasses that provide an all-in-one solution for those who need vision correction and hearing assistance. Available in two colorways and styles, each pair has an air conduction hearing aid embedded in the frame’s arms. Designed for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, these specs can be personally calibrated via a special app. This includes making adjustments for sound direction and noise cancellation. As such, they can amplify sounds based on the user’s personal needs while still looking like a regular pair of eyewear.
Ambient sound enhancement
According to the health institute Ear Science, background noise is a big issue in the deaf community. Unfortunately, traditional hearing aids do little to help this, as most merely enhance every sound. This makes it easy for users to lose their bearings in busy situations with multiple sound sources. To address this, ambient enhancement is now a priority in many contemporary smart products. Such is the case in the Samsung Galaxy devices. Primarily, each one, like the S24 series, is popular because of AI-based facilities. These include the Chat Assistant, Note Assistant, and Galaxy AI, all of which are built-in and free. However, this new series of smartphones also offers hearing-related features. Accessible through an in-phone menu, users with compatible earbuds can tailor the settings in each ear across five different ambient stages. This lets users perceive the details in the sounds around them more clearly.
Tinnitus relief
Contrary to popular belief that those who are hard of hearing cannot hear anything without their aids, the Mayo Clinic reveals that up to 90% actually experience tinnitus. Described as a ringing, roaring, or buzzing sound heard in the ears without any external source, tinnitus is not life-threatening, but it can be very uncomfortable. Depending on the severity of the tinnitus, some patients report that it affects their mood, sleep, and concentration. With this in mind, there are now focused hearing technologies that target tinnitus suppression. For instance, manufacturer Widex’s devices are specifically designed for first-time users and hypersensitive patients who suffer from unrelenting tinnitus that they cannot ignore. In just 0.5 milliseconds, this device can process sounds while working around the user’s customized microphone input level.
Table of Contents