It seems like all our devices are getting smarter, stronger, and more compact. Generally speaking, the trend is that devices have more features and take up less space.
This is also true for hearing aids, and it’s not a surprise. The world’s population is getting older and hearing problems, though they can have many different causes, are more common among older people. About 37.5 million people and 3 million Canadians describe some amount of hearing loss according to the National Institutes of Health. And that number is rising as age is the best demographic variable to predict hearing loss.
Of course, if you’re suffering from hearing loss, even one person with trouble hearing, i.e. you, is one person too many. Are there any better ways to manage hearing impairment? Bring ‘em on! Advancements are happening, here are some.
Using Your Hearing Aid to Track Your Entire Body
This one seems like it should be obvious. Health and fitness trackers need to be worn on the body. So, if you’ve already got a device that’s in your ear… do you really need a separate one on your wrist? Nope! Or at least, you don’t with some of the newest hearing aids, which along with helping fix hearing difficulties like tinnitus, will also keep track of your pulse, your physical activity, and a whole lot more. Sure, a wearable such as an Apple Watch can do that, but hearing aids can offer you other types of input that can be helpful to monitoring health, like how much time you spend in active conversation or listening. How much social engagement you get can actually be an important health metric, particularly as you age.
Data Streaming
Connectivity is the primary watchword, as virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa have advanced from smartphones to in-home devices without missing a beat. Some hearing aids that have 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 standards for Android developers that show them how to use specific channels within Bluetooth to produce uninterrupted audio straight to hearing aids. This technology is making things like movies and music more satisfying by acting like super-powered wireless headphones.
Big Data Allows Smart Adjustments
Similar to how Netflix recommends shows and movies according to what you’ve previously watched, or your Fitbit buzzes to let you know 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 could 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 usage habits, making it anonymous then aggregating it. 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 provide you with the most enjoyable audio experience.
Getting Rid of The Batteries Once And For All
We know, it sounds too good to be true, hearing aids that don’t need batteries? After all, making sure you’ve got spare batteries on hand, or even making time to recharge your hearing aid batteries, can be annoying. While we’re not likely to get hearing aids that don’t need any batteries, there has been continuous advancement in rechargeable technology. That means longer time in use, faster recharging, and less worrying about batteries, overall, not too shabby.