Technology is evolving into stronger, smarter, and smaller devices. Generally speaking, the trend is that devices do more and take up less space.
So it’s no surprise that hearing aids are no exception. The world’s population is getting older and hearing problems, though they can have many different causes, are more common among older individuals. 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 increasing 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 manage hearing loss? Bring ‘em on! Innovations are happening, here are a few.
Using Your Hearing Aid to Track Your Whole Body
This is so intuitive, it’s one of those “Now why didn’t I think of that” developments. Health and fitness trackers have to be worn on the body. So, if you’ve already got a device that’s in your ear… do you really need another one on your wrist? The answer is no. If you have a newer hearing aid, it probably can keep track of your pulse, physical activity along with fixing hearing problems such as tinnitus. Hearing aids can also track things that other wearables normally don’t, like the time spent conversing. How much social engagement you get can actually be a vital health metric, especially as you get older.
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. Android developers now have open-source specs provided by Google which allows them to use specific Bluetooth channels to stream uninterrupted audio straight to your hearing aid. 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 individualized 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 visit and the adjustments you make will allow these new hearing aids, being developed by several companies, 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. All this information enables the hearing aids to determine your tendencies and make adjustments on the fly so that whether you’re at home watching TV or you’re in an IMAX theater (for example), you’ll get the best sound.
Finally Ditching The Batteries
Hearing aids that don’t require their batteries replaced? Sound too good to be true? It can be really 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 continues to improve. That means longer in-use time, faster recharging, and less worrying about batteries, all in all, not too shabby.