You might think of your favorite sci-fi movie when somebody mentions artificial intelligence (AI). But today, AI is a reality that we all need to get used to. When it comes to hearing aids, this is especially true. The times when hearing aids simply increased the volume and were one-size-fits-all are gone for good. Contemporary, high-end hearing aids utilize AI.

What is artificial intelligence?

AI is a sophisticated computer algorithm that makes use of data inputs to produce new results. In this way, AI algorithms engage in a kind of learning, aptly called “machine learning”. When the algorithm is working properly, there’s no need to “program” the AI to produce each individual result.

In the case of hearing aids, AI algorithms can help your hearing aids adapt to your personal requirements depending on your behaviors, lifestyle, habits, and degree of hearing loss. Your hearing aids will be more effective at increasing your ability to hear as a result.

How can AI help hearing aids work better?

This may seem a little abstract initially. After all, hearing aids seem to have a rather straightforward function. How can things be enhanced by adding AI to the mix? Well, you know that row of big knobs and buttons that people utilize to mix music in recording studios? (Maybe you’ve seen them in movies.) There’s a tiny one of those inside of your hearing aid. Changing these settings can provide better quality sound. With hearing aids that are powered by AI, these settings are changed automatically without needing you to do anything.

These smart devices use a rich neural network to emulate human brain responses. As a result of this, these hearing aids react in real-time to situations without being programmed to do so.

This might sound like space-age science, but it’s the same fundamental technology that allows streaming services to recommend programming based on your viewing history. AI is also found in cars and the emails auto-sorted into your inbox. These devices become more expert at making correct choices the more you use them.

New improvements in AI hearing aids

These days, hearing aids are incorporating multiple brand new improvements in AI to help you hear even better. Here are a few of the best examples:

• Acoustic environment classification: Every room you walk into has its own distinctive acoustic properties. Some of those qualities are helpful for your hearing aids; some are bad for your hearing aids. With AI technology, your hearing aid can effortlessly make automatic adjustments that let you hear better in just about any setting.
• Helping you hear through facemasks: Conversations were undoubtedly harder during the pandemic when everybody was wearing a facemask. You can stay safer and hear better simultaneously as AI algorithms can amplify the voice behind the facemask.
• Edge mode: This is a user initiated, AI assist mode. Basically, when you have a hard time hearing, you can activate something known as Edge Mode. This then triggers the AI algorithm and the algorithm will get to work trying to make your hearing clearer.
• Noisy room filters: If you’re in a location that has lots of echoes, or is extremely loud, new AI technology algorithms can separate out room noise. Cross talk, for instance, can often be hard on a hearing aid. But even in a noisy setting, you’ll be capable of hearing more clearly what the person across from you is saying as AI filters out unwanted information.

This is likely only the beginning of the advancements scientists and manufacturers are making.

How is AI employed in the field of audiology?

These days, AI has sort of become something of a buzzword. Depending on the application, AI does different things, which can in some cases lead to confusion. So with regard to the field of audiology, how does AI fit in.

First off, it means that researchers are looking for ways to make hearing aids even more useful to patients. New technologies, like machine learning and deep neural networks, are included in this research. But hearing aids aren’t the whole story. In the future, AI might be able to help with detecting hearing loss or even helping patients avoid future hearing loss.

Patients will find AI in more and more of their devices as the technology becomes more reliable.

AI-assisted hearing aids and their benefits

AI is being integrated into hearing aids not because it’s the popular new fad, unlike other industries. These machine learning algorithms provide some considerable benefits to patients. Among those benefits are the following:

• 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 the event of a serious fall, these hearing aids can, in some cases, alert the Authorities. Should you be drinking more water, exercising more, eating healthier? AI can make your health data easier to understand.
• 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 by filtering out this feedback, so all you hear is the sound you really want to hear.
• You have more control over how you hear: Many AI-assisted hearing devices give you the option to turn those algorithms on or off. This means hearing aid users will have more control over the clarity of sound they hear. And this often means hearing better more frequently.
• Social engagement: Studies have shown that individuals who use AI-assisted hearing aids are more successful with regard to managing their social involvement. The speech that they hear will be clearer in a wide variety of settings, which probably accounts for better social engagement. But that doesn’t necessarily mean AI will make-or-break your social life. Likely, it simply helps people who are already social better maintain their relationships.

What this means for patients

These benefits frequently translate into real-world advantages for people with these AI-assisted hearing aids. Imagine you were at a party having a discussion. An older hearing aid would make everything louder. This isn’t practical because the conversation you actually care about will get overpowered by background noise. With AI, the hearing aid can tune in to the noise around you and react the way your brain would, lowering background noise and focusing on your friends’ voices.

AI learns to identify sounds and creates a location-by-location program. These programs help when you return to a specific location or sound profile. In order to better identify and amplify important sounds, some AI hearing aids are programmed with day-to-day sounds.

Here are some other practical advantages to AI-assisted hearing aids:

• You will have improved quality of life.
• You won’t be aggravated because you can’t hear (at least, not as often).
• The cognitive load will be decreased.

In other words, it’ll be easier to follow along with your favorite shows, hang out with your favorite people, and take care of your favorite brain.

Cost vs. reward

Due to the costs, AI wasn’t offered in most hearing aids until recent times. After all, the device itself has to perform some intense calculations (an algorithm, of course, is basically a very elegant math problem). However, in part because of the preponderance of the technology, prices for AI hearing aids are beginning to go down.

That’s not saying that those hearing aids will absolutely come down in price soon and you still may wind up choosing a model that doesn’t have AI functionality. Obviously, patients will still need to make important decisions. But AI features are becoming more readily obtainable and common.

Figuring out what option is best for you

For someone who lives alone and doesn’t go out much, hearing aids with AI may not be worth the added cost. But AI makes a big difference for people who are socially active and go out into loud situations a lot.

For somebody who uses traditional hearing aids and still gets exhausted easily in social situations, AI hearing aids would be very helpful. AI-powered hearing aids reduce the listener’s fatigue and make social situations more enjoyable. When the doorbell rings, or when you have a fall AI technology can alert you or a loved one and it can even track your steps. As technology and AI develop, hearing aids will continue to as well.

Want to find out how AI hearing aids can help you? Schedule an appointment with us right away.

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