It seems as if all our devices are getting smarter, stronger, and smaller. Being smaller while having more functionality is the general trend.
Hearing aids are no exception, and it’s not a surprise. Though hearing issues have a variety of causes, hearing difficulties are more prevalent among older individuals, and the world’s population is getting older. Around 37.5 million adults and 3 million Canadians report some level of hearing loss according to the National Institutes of Health. And that number is increasing because age is the strongest demographic variable to predict hearing loss.
Of course, if you’re suffering from hearing loss, even one individual with difficulty hearing, i.e. you, is one person too many. Are there any better ways to manage hearing loss? Bring ‘em on! Here are some of the advancements that are happening.
Complete-Body Tracking Through Your Hearing Aids
This is so obvious, it’s one of those “Now why didn’t I think of that” innovations. Devices that offer different types of health tracking are almost always worn and 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? The answer is no. If you have the latest hearing aid, it probably can track your pulse, physical activity along with correcting hearing problems like tinnitus. Certainly, a wearable like an Apple Watch can do that, but hearing aids can give you other kinds of input that can be helpful to tracking health, like how much time you spend having conversations or listening. Especially as you age your level of social involvement can actually be an important health metric.
Data Streaming
Connectivity is the important watchword, as virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa have advanced from smartphones to in-home devices without missing a beat. Some hearing aids that provide Bluetooth capabilities now allow users to stream audio directly from a device, like a smart TV for instance, to the hearing aids. Google published open-source standards for Android developers that show them how to use specific 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
Similar to how Netflix recommends shows and movies based on what you’ve watched previously, or your Fitbit alerts you to tell you that you’ve reached a milestone (or okay, let’s say stepping stone, depending on how committed your everyday step goals are), your next hearing aid may make personalized recommendations. 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 go as far as to crowdsource data about people’s utilization habits, making it anonymous then aggregating it. All this info allows the hearing aids to ascertain your tendencies and make adjustments on the fly so that whether you’re watching TV at home or you’re at an IMAX theater (for example), you’ll get the best possible sound.
Getting Rid of The Batteries Once And For All
Hearing aids that don’t require their batteries changed? Sound too good to be true? It can be very inconvenient making sure you have extra batteries or that your hearing aids are fully charged. While a hearing aid that doesn’t take any batteries at all may seem like wishful thinking, rechargeable battery technology keeps improving. That means longer time in use, faster recharging, and less worrying about batteries, all in all, not too shabby.