It seems as if all our devices are getting smarter, stronger, and smaller. 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 surprising. The world’s population is aging and hearing problems, though they can have a variety of causes, are more common amongst older people. 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 best 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? Let’s have them! Advancements are happening, here are a few.
Complete-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, if you already have a device that’s in your ear… do you actually need a separate one on your wrist? Nope! If you have the latest hearing aid, it can most likely keep track of your pulse, physical activity along with correcting hearing issues such as tinnitus. Sure, a wearable like an Apple Watch can do that, but hearing aids can offer you other kinds 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 get older.
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 have Bluetooth capabilities now allow users to stream audio directly from a device, like a smart TV for instance, to the hearing aids. Android developers now have open-source specs provided by Google which allows them to use certain Bluetooth channels to stream uninterrupted audio straight to your hearing aid. This kind 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
Similar to how Netflix recommends shows and movies based on what you’ve watched previously, 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 might make personalized suggestions. The places you go and the adjustments you make will allow these new hearing aids, being developed by several companies, to learn your behaviors. Some push it even further, crowdsourcing information on how individuals use their hearing aids anonymizing and then mixing the data. All this info enables the hearing aids to determine your preferences and make adjustments on the fly so that if you’re watching TV at home or you’re at an IMAX theater (for instance), you’ll get the best sound.
Getting Rid of The Batteries For Good
Hearing aids that don’t need their batteries replaced? Sound too good to be true? After all, making sure you’ve got spare batteries on hand, or even taking time to recharge your hearing aid batteries, can be annoying. While a hearing aid that doesn’t use any batteries at all might seem like wishful thinking, rechargeable battery technology continues to improve. You’ll get faster charging time, extended use time, and worry less about batteries, which seems pretty good.
