Age-related hearing loss is the third most common chronic condition after arthritis and hypertension. The numbers are only going to get worse. By 2050, it’s estimated that 360 million people worldwide will have some degree of hearing impairment. There are several types of hearing loss.
Conductive hearing loss occurs when there’s a break in the bones, cartilage, or tubes that carry sound waves from your ear to your brain. Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the inner ear, cochlea, or other auditory nerve fibers. This type of hearing impairment cannot be improved with amplification alone and requires different strategies such as lip reading, speech reading, and sign language. This article explores the latest trends in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and computer-assisted devices that can enable you to hear better in an aging world.
Artificial Intelligence and Hearing Aids
Hearing aids date back to the late 1800s, when the first electrical hearing aid was invented. The first digital hearing aid was patented in the 1960s, and the first Bluetooth hearing aid came out in the early 2000s. But the real revolution in hearing aid technology happened with AI. Now AI is being used not only to improve the sound quality but also to help people customize their hearing aids based on their specific needs and preferences. For example, a hearing aid user might want to program their device to make sounds around them quieter while boosting their spouse’s voice in a crowded restaurant. Another person may want to use their hearing aid as a translator during their trip to a foreign country. AI-based hearing aids can easily learn and implement such new functionalities.
Virtual Reality and Hearing Loss
VR technology is based on creating a completely immersive sensory experience. It’s a technology that can be used to create a virtual world that can be seen, heard, felt, or even smelled. VR can help people with hearing loss improve their communication skills. It can be used for many activities, including watching TV, video conferencing, communicating in sign language, talking on the phone, etc. The VR technology can be used to allow someone with a hearing impairment to participate in an activity to which others are able to fully listen and respond.
VR can also be used for visual stimulation, which can help people with hearing loss stay alert and participate in conversations. It can also be used for visual stimulation when a person is sleeping, such as prior to surgery. In general, VR can be used to engage people with hearing loss in activities that are similar to what hearing people do. VR technology can also be used in research. It can be used to help people with hearing loss understand what they’re missing while hearing communication. VR can be used to create a simulation of a situation where communication is difficult. This can be used to help people with hearing loss find out what they’re missing while hearing communication. It can also help researchers understand how people with hearing loss are able to participate in the communication.
Cochlear Implants
Cochlear Implants are devices that are surgically implanted into the inner ear in order to bypass the damaged parts of the ear and stimulate the auditory nerve directly with electrical impulses. Cochlear implants are used to treat severe hearing loss. They create sound through a signal that’s sent through the skin and into the auditory nerve. This signal is used to stimulate the nerve so that it begins to create the same electrical impulses that it does when sound is present in a normal ear. Cochlear implants are extremely helpful for people with hearing loss that can’t be cured with hearing aids alone. They can be especially useful for people who have a very low amount of residual hearing left in their ears, visit New Hampshire Hearing Institute website if you want to learn more about cochlear implants.
Computer-Assisted Devices for the Hard of Hearing
Computer-assisted devices that help people with hearing loss hear better include screen readers, voice recognition software, and virtual assistants. Screen readers are special computer programs that read text displayed on the screen aloud. Most computer operating systems have screen readers built in. Voice recognition software is used to dictate letters, emails, etc. without having to type. This can be useful for people who have one hand or mobility issues. Virtual assistants are apps that have a built-in digital assistant. They can be used to help you with daily tasks, remind you of important events, set up your appointments, etc.
Bottom line
Artificial intelligence and virtual reality can be used to create a completely immersive sensory experience. It can be used to create a virtual world that can be seen, heard, felt, or even smelled. VR can help people with hearing loss improve their communication skills. It can be used for many activities such as watching TV, video conferencing, communicating in sign language, talking on the phone, etc. VR can also be used to create a simulation of a situation where communication is difficult. This can help people with hearing loss find out what they’re missing while hearing communication. It can also help researchers understand how people with hearing loss are able to participate in the communication. Computer-assisted devices can be useful in improving communication for people with hearing loss.
