Every January, the technology world descends on Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) This year’s show featured over 4,100 exhibits with an attendance of just over 148,000 people. On display was the latest technology for home electronics, cars, healthcare, and more. Building on showcases of years past, interesting new hearing-related technology was also featured.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and similar technologies have arrived in the hearing aid world to provide hands-free adjustments to the user’s listening experience. Features include improved noise reduction, enhanced capabilities of directional microphone technology, and feedback reduction. This technology can analyze noise in the user’s environment and adjust listening functions to best suit the wearer’s hearing needs.
Companies are also embracing different styles and form factors in the over-the-counter (OTC) space, such as eyeglasses with built-in hearing aids and other listening and display features, in-the-ear devices with longer battery life, and models with improved connectivity.
An increased number of hearing aid models with Auracast compatibility have been introduced. Auracast is a new way of receiving audio from TV and public broadcasts such as airports, churches, and other public spaces through Bluetooth. Similar to the way loop/T-coil systems works, Auracast takes an audio signal and transmits it over a specific frequency. That signal can then be identified by an Auracast capable hearing device, selected by the user, and streamed directly to the hearing aid wearer, making audio much clearer. To learn more, visit https://www.bluetooth.com/auracast/how-it-works/
With an increasing number of people using captioning to watch movies, that technology is also moving quickly into personal devices. New tech introductions include glasses that can produce real-time captioning and display the text on the inside of the glasses lens. This provides an additional source of information for those with more severe hearing losses, those that make use of lip-reading skills, and even the person who prefers captions in their daily lives.
The amount of hearing-related and accessibility tech at CES demonstrated that these technologies can benefit a wide variety of audiences, from people who have hearing loss to those who simply want improved communication in different listening environments. Every year, technology evolves rapidly to improve connectivity. Stay informed of emerging technology on our innovations page and reach out to a licensed hearing care professional if you want to discuss available options for your specific needs.
The Hearing Industries Association is the trusted voice on hearing health care for product innovation, public policy, patient safety and education.
