Technology is developing into stronger, smarter, and smaller devices. Being smaller while having more functionality is the general trend.
So it’s not surprising that hearing aids are no different. Though hearing problems have a number of causes, hearing problems are more prevalent amongst older people, and the world’s population is getting older. Around 37.5 million adults and 3 million Canadians describe some amount of hearing impairment according to the National Institutes of Health. And that number is rising since age is the best demographic variable to predict hearing loss.
If you’re suffering from hearing loss, that’s one person too many. Are there any better ways to manage hearing impairment? Let’s have them! Innovations are happening, here are a few.
Whole-Body Tracking Through Your Hearing Aids
This one seems as if it should be obvious. Health and fitness trackers have to be worn on the body. So do you really need a device on your wrist if you already have one in your ear? Nope! Or at least, you don’t with some of the newest hearing aids, which in addition to helping fix hearing difficulties like tinnitus, will also track your pulse, your physical activity, and much more. Hearing aids also have the ability to monitor things that other wearables usually don’t, like the time spent conversing. Especially as you get older, your level of social engagement can actually be an important health metric.
Data Streaming
Virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri have smoothly moved from smartphones to in-home devices and the main focus here is connectivity. Audio from a device, like a smart TV can now be streamed directly to your hearing aid if it is Bluetooth compatible. Google released open-source specifications for Android developers that show them how to use certain channels within Bluetooth to produce uninterrupted audio directly to hearing aids. This technology is making things like movies and music more enjoyable by acting like super-powered wireless headphones.
Smart Adjustments From Big Data
Your next hearing aid may make personalized recommendations similar to how a Fitbit informs you of fitness goals or how Netflix suggests your next movie in line with your viewing trend. The places you go and the adjustments you make will allow these new hearing aids, being manufactured by several brands, to learn your behaviors. Some take it one step further, crowdsourcing data 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 know 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? It can be really inconvenient making certain you have spare batteries or that your hearing aids are completely charged. While we’re not likely to see hearing aids that don’t need any batteries, there has been a consistent improvement in rechargeable technology. That means longer time in use, faster recharging, and less worrying about batteries, all in all, not too shabby.