Devices block background noise to make conversation clearer. When Joanne Rosen, 73, of Weston enters a noisy restaurant, the artificial intelligence in her hearing aid listens to the room and adjusts so she can better hear the people at the table.
AI-assisted hearing aids use data to self-adjust and help the wearer focus on relevant conversations while minimizing background noise. The devices continuously learn to improve the user’s hearing in noisy situations. When Rosen is shopping for groceries near her home and a call comes in, the hearing aids block out the background shoppers so she can hear only the caller.
“It’s amazing how I can focus on the call and not hear background noise at all,” Rosen said while in Publix.
The major brands have all gone AI
All the major hearing aid brands — Starkey, Phonak, Oticon, ReSound, Signia and Widex — now make hearing aids that incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning. Two of those brands, Phonak and Starkey, have just come out with an improved, smaller version that resembles a flat earbud.
There is so much more technology people are missing because they are consumed by over-the-counter amplifiers at retail stores instead of getting fitted for new customized computers they can wear in their ears.
— Dr. Valerie Rossetti, Au.D., Florida Hearing Matters
Advancements are happening as need increases. One in four people over 60 is affected by hearing loss, and the rate among seniors is expected to worsen.
Deep neural networks: the next layer of AI
A relatively recent development is the creation of hearing aids with deep neural networks (DNN), a more advanced form of AI. The hearing aid feeds the network with information and uses an algorithm to classify sounds, improve decision-making and make adjustments, Dr. Rossetti explained.
It makes the sound more pleasing. It might not relate to hard numbers in improved hearing scores, but wearers like how it sounds and find them more comfortable. Every year, things get incrementally better.
— Dr. Valerie Rossetti, Au.D.
The more sophisticated AI-driven hearing aids can analyze 80 million sounds and as many as 2 billion adjustments in a day. A study by Ohio State University found that AI-driven hearing aids increased the ability to hear amid background noise by 55%, and over time wearing them reduced the listening effort required by 30%.
Why the fitting matters more than the hardware
Dr. Rossetti emphasizes that buying an AI hearing aid is just the first step. Her customers return every four to six months for an adjustment and, when appropriate, a software update.
As an audiologist, I can see percentage-wise how much noise they have been in, the changes they made versus the changes AI made, and I can make sure the changes AI makes are appropriate for their amount of loss and lifestyle.
— Dr. Valerie Rossetti, Au.D.
For patients who prefer not to take their hearing aids in and out, Dr. Rossetti also offers a device that can be worn continuously for two to three months at a time. “For patients with memory issues, this is a great option. They can sleep and shower with it,” she said. (At Florida Hearing Matters, this is the Lyric™ invisible-in-canal hearing aid.)
So what about Medicare?
Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids or the exams used to fit them. Some Medicare Advantage plans and commercial PPO plans do offer some coverage. Beneficiaries need to check their specific plan.
For people with minimal hearing loss, Dr. Rossetti also works on auditory training. Using a mobile app, she recommends 15 minutes a day of focused exercises that teach the brain to ignore background noise and lock onto the speech signal.
Even if they have only mild hearing loss, I want them to keep their brain engaged.
— Dr. Valerie Rossetti, Au.D.
What’s next: Auracast, smartphones, and beyond
Beyond AI itself, the Bluetooth feature in hearing aids is improving, and a growing number of devices are becoming Auracast-enabled — meaning they can connect directly to public broadcast audio in places like a gym, a TV at an airport lounge, or a place of worship.
Already, all hearing aids can be paired with smartphones. A companion app lets patients adjust volume, switch programs for different listening situations, troubleshoot, find a misplaced hearing aid, and even, on some models, do live language translation, fitness tracking, or hands-free phone answering.
For Joanne Rosen, who has had her hearing aids for only a few weeks, the advanced features are nice — but she mostly appreciates the basics: “I wasn’t following the conversation around the mahjong table. Now I can hear what they are saying.”
About this page. Florida Hearing Matters was featured in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel for this story by health reporter Cindy Goodman. The recap above shares the substance of the piece and Dr. Rossetti’s quoted commentary so South Florida patients can read it without a paywall. For the complete article as published, please visit Sun-Sentinel.com. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel is a Tribune Publishing newspaper.
This page is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. To discuss whether AI-driven or Lyric™ hearing aids are right for you, please book a visit with Dr. Rossetti.