AI and Hearing Aids – the Synergy

You may think of your favorite sci-fi movie when someone starts talking about artificial intelligence (AI). But today, AI is a reality that we all better get accustomed to. This is particularly true with regard to hearing aids. Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all hearing aids that just increase the volume of sounds around you. Modern-day, high-end hearing aids use AI.

Artificial intelligence – what exactly is it?

AI is a sophisticated computer algorithm that uses data inputs to produce new results. AI is able to use an algorithm to take part in a kind of learning called “machine learning”. With AI the user doesn’t need to program every specific result because the algorithm does that on its own.

In the case of hearing aids, AI algorithms can help your hearing aids adjust to your personal needs depending on your behaviors, lifestyle, habits, and degree of hearing loss. Your hearing aids will be more effective at improving your ability to hear because of this.

How can AI help hearing aids work more effectively?

This might feel a bit abstract initially. After all, hearing aids seem to have a fairly basic function. How can things be improved by adding AI to the mix? Well, imagine a recording studio with the soundboard loaded with switches and dials. (Maybe you’ve seen them in movies.) Your hearing aid contains one of those! (It’s tiny.) Adjusting these settings can deliver better quality sound. With hearing aids that are powered by AI, these settings are adjusted automatically without needing you to do anything.

This AI hearing aid imitates human brain response using a rich neural network. Without even being programmed to, these devices react to real-time situations because of this.

This is the same technology that allows streaming services to suggest movies based on your viewing history, though it most likely sounds like futuristic technology initially. AI is also found in cars and the emails auto-sorted into your inbox. These devices become more proficient at making correct choices the more you use them.

AI hearing aids – new innovations

Hearing aids these days are helping you hear even better with new advancements in AI technology. Some of the most relevant instances include the following:

• Acoustic environment classification: Unique audio qualities come with each specific room you go into. Some of those properties are good for your hearing aids; some are bad for your hearing aids. You will hear better in nearly any environment with AI technology making effective automatic adjustments.
• Helping you hear through facemasks: Conversations were undoubtedly harder during the pandemic when everyone was wearing a facemask. AI algorithms can automatically amplify those voices behind the facemask, helping individuals with hearing aids hear better and stay safe at the same time.
• Edge mode: This is an assist mode which can be initiated by the user. Essentially, you can activate something known as edge mode whenever you’re having a hard time hearing. This then initiates the AI algorithm and the algorithm will get to work trying to make your hearing clearer.
• Noisy room filters: If you’re in a setting that has a lot of echoes, or is excessively loud, new AI technology algorithms can separate out room noise. Cross talk, for instance, can often be hard on a hearing aid. But with an AI filtering out non-imperative information, you’ll be able to hear more clearly what the individual across from you is saying, even in a crowded or noisy environment.

Hearing aid producers and scientists are continuously innovating new hearing aid technologies, so this may be just the beginning.

How is AI employed in the field of audiology?

These days, AI has kind of become a bit of a buzzword. Depending on the context, AI does different things, which can sometimes lead to confusion. So, what does AI mean for the field of audiology?

Making hearing aids even more beneficial for patients is one of the first and most evident things that researchers are tackling. New technologies, including machine learning and deep neural networks, are included in this research. But hearing aids aren’t all there is to it. In the future, AI may be able to help with diagnosing hearing loss or even helping patients prevent future hearing loss.

As the technology grows and becomes more reliable, patients can expect to see artificial intelligence in more of their devices.

AI-assisted hearing aids and their advantages

Unlike some other industries, AI is not being integrated into hearing aids just because it’s the popular new thing. Some significant advantages to patients are offered by these machine learning algorithms. Here are a few of those benefits:

• You have more control over how you hear: Many AI-assisted hearing aids give you the option to turn off those algorithms. This means hearing aid users will have more control over the clarity of sound they hear. And this usually means a better overall hearing experience.
• Helping you listen to devices: Your hearing aid can get feedback from a wide variety of devices, like televisions, cell phones, speaker phones, and a myriad of other devices. Machine learning algorithms can help filter out this feedback, so all you will hear is the sound you actually want to hear.
• Social engagement: When it comes to managing social interaction, individuals who utilize AI-assisted hearing aids are likely to be more successful, according to some studies. This is most likely because the speech they hear is clearer in a wider variety of settings. But that doesn’t necessarily mean AI will make-or-break your social life. Most likely, it simply helps those who are already social better preserve their relationships.
• Health tracking and fall prevention: If you accidentally fall while you’re wearing your hearing aids, your AI-assisted devices might be capable of detecting the significance and seriousness of your tumble. In some situations, these hearing aids may be programmed to automatically alert authorities or loved ones if there is a major fall. AI can also make your health information easier to interpret, helping you know when you should be moving more, eating healthier, or just hydrating more.

How does this affect patients?

These benefits often result in real-world advantages for those who use these AI-assisted hearing aids. Imagine you were at a party having a discussion. An older hearing aid would raise the volume on everything. This isn’t useful because the conversation you actually care about will get overpowered by background noise. With AI, the hearing aid can listen to the noise around you and respond the way your brain would, lowering background noise and focusing on your friends’ voices.

AI will create a location-by-location program to deal with the various kinds of sounds it detects. These algorithms help when you return to a particular location or sound profile. In order to better identify and amplify important sounds, some AI hearing aids are programmed with day-to-day sounds.

Some of the other practical benefits of AI-assisted hearing aids include the following:

• Your quality of life will get better.
• Your brain will experience a decreased cognitive load.
• You will feel less frustrated because you will be able to hear better.

You will be able to spend time with friends again, watch your favorite shows, and take good care of your brain, in other words.

Reward vs. cost

Because of the costs, AI wasn’t available in the majority of hearing aids until recent times. After all, the device itself has to do some extreme calculations (an algorithm, after all, is basically a very fancy math problem). But prices are decreasing, partially due to the prevalence of the technology.

This doesn’t mean that every hearing aid you want might have AI, or even that those hearing aids will necessarily be less costly in the near future. Obviously, patients will still have to make important choices. However, it does mean that these AI-assisted features are becoming more prevalent and more widely available.

Figuring out what option is best for you

For someone who lives alone and doesn’t go out very much, hearing aids with AI might not be worth the extra cost. To somebody who is socially involved and finds themselves in scenarios with many competing sounds, however, it makes a big difference.

Hearing aids with AI are also practical for someone who is quickly worn out in social situations where the task of keeping up with conversations using a traditional hearing aid is fatiguing. AI-powered hearing aids decrease the listener’s exhaustion and make social situations more enjoyable. AI technology can also send alerts to your phone when the doorbell rings, alert others that you have fallen, and track your steps. As technology and AI develop, hearing aids will continue to as well.

Want to find out how AI hearing aids can work for you? Make an appointment with us right away.