Danish technology company Widex has developed an AI-integrated hearing aid capable of analysing the acoustic environment, learning from user preferences, and automatically adjusting sound processing to improve speech comprehension and deliver a more personalised listening experience.
According to the company, the technology comes at a time when approximately 430 million people worldwide require hearing rehabilitation. The integration of artificial intelligence into hearing devices is intended to improve their performance and facilitate communication for people with hearing difficulties.
Unlike traditional hearing aids, which amplify sounds and apply filters to reduce noise, the new device is equipped with artificial intelligence based on deep neural networks. These networks were trained on millions of sound samples collected in real-world situations, enabling the device to identify different acoustic patterns and adapt sound processing to environmental conditions in real time.
When a user moves, for example, from a quiet setting to a busy restaurant, the device can recognise the change and automatically recalibrate its sound processing. In doing so, it seeks to highlight conversation while reducing background noise interference. The technology also allows the device to learn from the user themselves. Over time, it can record the preferences applied in different situations and deploy them automatically when it detects similar environments, reducing the need for manual adjustments.
According to the technology portal Zap, artificial intelligence transforms the hearing aid across at least four areas. The first is intelligent device automation, which enables the volume and programmes to be adjusted according to listening conditions. The second is speech comprehension in noisy environments, achieved by identifying voices and reducing background sounds.
The third area is connectivity with mobile phones, allowing users to manage calls, music, and settings through dedicated applications. The fourth is health monitoring, as some models already include features such as fall detection and physical activity tracking.
The integration of AI represents a fundamental shift from conventional hearing aids, which no longer function solely as sound amplifiers but instead employ technologies capable of analysing the environment and adapting the auditory experience in real time.
As these technologies continue to evolve, hearing aids are expected to become increasingly personalised and adaptive, aiming to improve communication across different everyday situations and reduce the cognitive effort required to follow conversations in high-noise environments.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=529287
