Audiology

Bi-Annual Hearing Tech Review

Over the past few years, we’ve seen staggering innovations in the hearing aid market. Usually, CES is one of the places where exciting new technologies are announced, and this year’s show was no different. Here are just a few of the devices that have gained some attention recently.

Oticon KAIZN

Hearing aids have gotten increasingly integrated with other tech, and Oticon’s KAIZN is the newest iteration of this. Billed as a “personal AI assistant for your ears”, this hearing aid processes data in real time and learns from the kinds of situations the user is in so it can then make adjustments and suggestions on how to improve the hearing experience.

And this isn’t just marketing talk. Oticon has the tech to back this up. The KAIZN received the 2019 CES best of innovation award in the “Software and Mobile Apps” category, and was named a CES innovation honoree in the category “Tech for a Better World”.

ReSound LiNX Quattro

ReSound’s newest hearing aid sets itself by focusing on sound quality and ease of integration. According to the company, “In a direct comparison, where hearing aid users were asked to listen to music and rate the sound, the ultimate test of sound quality, 95% of respondents preferred ReSound LiNX Quattro compared to other premium hearing aids.”

Resound also has a feature called Siri AI, which allows the hearing aid to pair with Apple’s Siri assistant. The hearing aid learns user preferences over time and can eventually begin to automatically adjust settings based on the listening environment. The user can also use voice commands like, “Siri, turn up the volume in my left ear”.

Nuheara IQbuds MAX

Using three different microphones, the IQBuds are a pair of headphones with next level noise-cancelling ability. Touting five times more digital signal processing power than the company’s BOOST line of products, these headphones should be on the list of tech-savvy audiophiles everywhere.

WIDEX EVOKE

Tired of hearing aid batteries, whether replaceable or rechargeable? Say hello to the first “battery free” hearing aids. Using a fuel cell (the same tech that’s used in electric cars), the hearing aids can be recharged in 20 seconds and then function for a full 24 hours. This earned the device a honoree spot at the CES 2019 Innovation Awards in the “Fitness, Sports, and Biotech” product category.

Have a question about any of these products or a certain feature you may be looking for? We’re here to help set you up with the ideal hearing aid for your lifestyle. Get in touch with us to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Marie Vetter-Toalson Au.D.

Dr. Marie Vetter-Toalson Au.D. is the owner of Chicago Hearing Services and a Doctor of Audiology dedicated to empowering her patients and the public with greater knowledge and education around hearing health.

About Dr. Marie Vetter-Toalson Au.D.

Dr. Marie Vetter-Toalson Au.D. is the owner of Chicago Hearing Services and a Doctor of Audiology dedicated to empowering her patients and the public with greater knowledge and education around hearing health.