Earbud Hearing Aids

A new iOS app that is compatible with Apple® headphones could be an inexpensive solution for people with moderate hearing loss. Originally developed to tap into a recent trend of using smartphones to augment hearing, the app tests a person’s hearing in each ear and adjusts the amplifiers accordingly. The app allows users to adjust volume and balance, amplify or limit weaker signals, and equalize treble/mid/bass sounds in a 24dB range to adapt to hearing preferences. The concept works well in certain environments where a person may have trouble hearing, such as in a lecture hall. The phone can be placed near the lectern while the user listens from several rows back. But when it comes to real-time conversation, processing delays to remove unwanted background noise can make them awkward to use.

The market for assistive hearing devices is expected to grow substantially with the passage of recent legislation that basically ordered the Food and Drug Administration to create a new class of over-the-counter hearing aid devices. In comparison to traditional hearing aids, which can cost thousands of dollars, “hearables” can be marketed for a few hundred dollars (not including the cost of the smartphone).

The app, known as Fennex, is currently free, and works with EarPods or AirPods. Certain enhancements to further reduce feedback and improve noise filtering may result in users being charged for these special features in the future.