It seems as if all our devices are getting smarter, stronger, and more compact. Taking up less space while doing more is the overall trend.
So it’s not surprising that hearing aids are no exception. Though hearing problems have a number of causes, hearing issues are more common among older people, and the world’s population is getting older. About 37.5 million people and 3 million Canadians report some amount of hearing impairment according to the National Institutes of Health. And that number is rising as age is the strongest demographic variable to predict hearing loss.
If you’re dealing with hearing loss, that’s one person too many. Are there any better ways to deal with hearing impairment? Let’s have them! Innovations are happening, here are some.
Whole-Body Tracking Through Your Hearing Aids
This is so intuitive, it’s one of those “Now why didn’t I think of that” developments. Devices that offer different types of health tracking are nearly always worn and have to be worn close to the body. So do you really need a device on your wrist if you already have one in your ear? Nope! If you have a newer hearing aid, it probably can keep track of your pulse, physical activity along with improving hearing problems like tinnitus. Hearing aids also have the ability to track things that other wearables normally don’t, like the duration of conversations. Particularly as you get older, your level of social involvement can actually be an important health metric.
Better Streaming Straight to You
Virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri have quickly moved from smartphones to in-home devices and the principal focus here is connectivity. Some hearing aids that provide Bluetooth capabilities now allow users to stream audio directly from a device, like a smart TV for example, to the hearing aids. Google published open-source specifications for Android developers that show them how to use certain channels within Bluetooth to provide uninterrupted audio straight to hearing aids. This type of technology is helping hearing aids function almost like super-powered wireless headphones, making it easier to enjoy movies, music, and more.
Big Data Allows Smart Adjustments
Your next hearing aid could make personalized recommendations much like how a Fitbit alerts you to fitness objectives or how Netflix suggests your next movie based on your viewing trend. Several manufacturers are working on hearing aids that will learn both from the adjustments you make and from listening to the places you go. Some push it even further, crowdsourcing information on how individuals use their hearing aids anonymizing and then aggregating the data. So whether you’re watching TV at home, or in an IMAX theater, your hearing aids will be capable of using this information to recognize what your situation is and make adjustments to give you the best audio experience.
Getting Rid of The Batteries For Good
Hearing aids that don’t require their batteries changed? Sound too good to be true? After all, making sure you’ve got spare batteries with you, or even making time to recharge your hearing aid batteries, can be a pain in the, um, ear. While we’re not likely to get hearing aids that don’t need any batteries, there has been a continuous improvement in rechargeable technology. That means longer time in use, faster recharging, and less worrying about batteries, all in all, not too shabby.