Another year at the Consumer Electronics Show means catching a glimpse of technologies that could ultimately help audiologists aid their patients’ hearing health journey.
Following are just some of the companies that displayed their innovative hearing care products—including OTC hearing aids, and glasses embedded with hearing support technology—at CES 2024 in Las Vegas.
EssilorLuxottica
EssilorLuxottica showcased at CES 2024 a prototype for Nuance Audio, a pair of glasses with advanced hearing technology built in seamlessly. Designed for consumers with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, Nuance Audio seeks to eliminate the psychological barrier that stands in the way of the adoption of traditional hearing aids, integrating proprietary state-of-the-art open-ear hearing technology into fashionable eyeglasses, the company says. Nuance Audio is expected to launch in the market starting with North America in the second half of the year.
ELEHEAR
ELEHEAR highlighted its Alpha Pro OTC hearing aids at CES 2024. It features AI noise reduction technology that distinguishes human voices from background noise; 32kHz Ultra HD speech signal processing; Bluetooth Streaming: in-app remote adjustment; and additional AI technology that predicts possible feedback in advance, according to the company.
Xander
Xander Captioning Glasses, or “XanderGlasses,” are wearable assistive technology for people with severe hearing challenges. Everyday situations—background noises, multiple speakers, and low-voices— can impede understanding and create strain. The glasses support the wearrere—via Vuzix Shield smart glasses technology—to combine microphones, processors, and AR displays to transcribe speech to text, and instantly project accurate captions into the wearer’s field of view. The XanderGlasses are also a CES 2024 Innovation Award nominee.
Absolute Audio Labs
Absolute Audio Labs (AAL) detailed the launch of its third-generation (3.0) PYOUR Audio platform at CES 2024. PYOUR is an advanced hearing enhancement software suite that can run on generic Bluetooth chipsets. Improvements with PYOUR Audio 3.0 include it being virtually platform (chip) agnostic; strong performance improvements on AAL’s proprietary and patented core algorithms: Advanced noise suppression, its unique iWDRC (Instant Wide Dynamic Range Compression) and AI-based feedback management system, and a brand new fitting engine for music.
mpWAV
ClearSense Audio from mpWAV is a digital health solution for those with hearing challenges that provides high-quality hearing support by converting user-owned smartphone and earphones into high-quality hearing aids. ClearSense Audio seeks to eliminate both the discomfort often associated with amplified sounds and the visibility of traditional hearing devices. The service allows for precise sound perception without taxing the user’s auditory nerves, making it suitable for prolonged usage, according to the company. This innovation is effective in eliminating unwanted noise by about 25 dB on average without degrading the quality of desired sounds. It is also CES 2024 Innovation Award honoree.
Photo credit: Consumer Technology Association
