Hearables....it's the new wearables....
So, after having a bit of an issue a few weeks back concerning my own hearing, I started to look into the technology of "old people". Well, that's a bit of a stereotype, it's not just old people who need hearing aids, it's all ranges of people. It wasn't until I suffered from temporary hearing loss, that I really appreciated the value of hearing. Sound a bit odd that, but try it someday. I don't mean just sticking your fingers in your ears for a bit, or shoving earplugs in, that's not the same as "no sound". It's freaky. anyway, it got me thinking. If my hearing does deteriorate in the near future, what am I going to do about it?
I've seen the usual big hearing aids that you clip on your ears and have a little bud that you plug in, these apparently are very good, but very expensive and they have trouble focusing... I mean that in the sense that, if you have a person talking to you in front of you and a car drives past, the hearing aid will battle with itself to try and only provide you with one sound from one of the places where noise comes from. not ideal.
Then I had a thought. I wonder what wonderful "tech" is out there today and what is on the horizon that is going to make my (and other peoples lives) better in relation to hearables.
Well, I didn't have to search far. I found this great article that shares a lot of research on the current offerings out there in the market - the 'fitbit' is so last decade :-)
https://www.everydayhearing.com/hearing-technology/articles/hearables/
I like the idea of extending the concept, so it's not just a hearing aid, but also a general health monitor AND it can use "smart" technology to do other things, such as on-the-fly language translation (something I was trying to do in 2004 and failing abysmally due to processing time lag) and usage of Machine Learning to help overcome the ability to distinguish between what is making a noise - a car, a person, a dog barking, a train...
Sounds a bit Cyberpunk and un-realistic? With companies like this one making smaller and smaller AI chips, it won't be long before the hearable market takes off...in a big way or a small way, if you get my meaning.
To quote Doppler Labs: "Microsoft put a computer on every desk. Our goal is to put a computer into every ear"
A brave quote....shame the company folded...but hey, that's technology companies for you - you might have the right vision and product, but timing is everything...and I guess they were just too early for the general public to hit that curve.
Here's some other related great articles:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/audiovideo/hearables-will-monitor-your-brain-and-body-to-augment-your-life
https://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/gadgets/your-earbuds-will-become-your-most-powerful-health-monitor
https://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/audiovideo/deep-learning-reinvents-the-hearing-aid
and from todays The Register (that reminded me that I'd researched this info. earlier in the week and hadn't published it yet!):
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/10/30/earworn_wearables_gartner/
I've seen the usual big hearing aids that you clip on your ears and have a little bud that you plug in, these apparently are very good, but very expensive and they have trouble focusing... I mean that in the sense that, if you have a person talking to you in front of you and a car drives past, the hearing aid will battle with itself to try and only provide you with one sound from one of the places where noise comes from. not ideal.
Then I had a thought. I wonder what wonderful "tech" is out there today and what is on the horizon that is going to make my (and other peoples lives) better in relation to hearables.
Well, I didn't have to search far. I found this great article that shares a lot of research on the current offerings out there in the market - the 'fitbit' is so last decade :-)
https://www.everydayhearing.com/hearing-technology/articles/hearables/
Sounds a bit Cyberpunk and un-realistic? With companies like this one making smaller and smaller AI chips, it won't be long before the hearable market takes off...in a big way or a small way, if you get my meaning.
To quote Doppler Labs: "Microsoft put a computer on every desk. Our goal is to put a computer into every ear"
A brave quote....shame the company folded...but hey, that's technology companies for you - you might have the right vision and product, but timing is everything...and I guess they were just too early for the general public to hit that curve.
Here's some other related great articles:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/audiovideo/hearables-will-monitor-your-brain-and-body-to-augment-your-life
https://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/gadgets/your-earbuds-will-become-your-most-powerful-health-monitor
https://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/audiovideo/deep-learning-reinvents-the-hearing-aid
and from todays The Register (that reminded me that I'd researched this info. earlier in the week and hadn't published it yet!):
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/10/30/earworn_wearables_gartner/
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