If you missed our October 2024 HOPE hearing loss online support meeting, here are the notes and some helpful links. For more information on our free, online HOPE program, visit our HOPE page.

We were honored to have Dr. Larry Medwetsky as our special guest speaker. Titled “Recent Advances in Hearing Devices,” Dr. Medwetsky’s terrific presentation included these highlights below.

• Hearing aids can now be classified as “personal hearing systems.” Many now include new features such as:
  • Advanced feedback canceling, allowing for open domes and avoiding occlusion, feedback, and whistling
  • Smaller hearing aids that allow for improved distance hearing and decreased feedback
  • Noise reduction
  • Automatic directional microphones that focus on speech
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of many hearing aids. Today, AI builds on the initial programming from the factory and the audiologist, learning user preferences and needs.
  • Some hearing aids now include split processing–two different processors focusing on different information but combined into a single output, enhancing clarity.
  • Falls detection sensors, fitness trackers
  • Tinnitus masking that draws your attention away from the tinnitus and decrease your emotional reaction to it
• Wireless connectivity allows you to pair to cellphones, computers, remote mics, televisions, public assistive listening systems, and so on. Options include Amazon Fire TVs streaming directly to hearing implants, TV adaptors and intervening streamers, USB dongles for computers, Cochlear Implant wireless TV streamers, and even Alexa, Ring, or Google Nest connections
• A hearing aid app can measure daily social interaction to help ensure you’re not becoming isolated
• Remote hearing aid/CI programming allows your audiologist to connect with you and your tech without you needing to visit the audiologist’s office. You can problem solve, repair, or adjust–all remotely.
• Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio and Auracast may change the landscape in the future. Bluetooth LE Audio allows for stereo signals, will be available to everyone (not just people with hearing loss), and will have more applications. But for now, you’ll want both an Bluetooth LE audio and telecoils.
• Cochlear Implant advances include
  • Noise reduction
  • Directional mics
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Wireless connectivity (remote mics & Bluetooth)
  • Waterproofing
  • Tinnitus masking
  • Bilateral CI, hybrid CI, and CI for single-sided deafness
• In the future, CIs may see improvements in surgical techniques to keep more residual hearing, better components, improved speech and music perception, and even a fully implantable CI

Finally, apps can help you hear or understand better in many contexts.

• LiveTranscribe (Android, free)
• Live Captions (iPhone, via your iPhone settings)
• AVA voice to text
• Otter.ai captions
• BeAware Conference caption app gives you captions to any in-person event, such as speeches, press conferences, and trade shows
• HealthScribe provides captions in hospital ERs
• XanderGlasses and Pulse Audition are glasses with real-time captions

A HUGE thank you to Dr. Medwetsky for generously sharing his time, energy, and knowledge with us.

If you’d like to download a copy of Dr. M’s slides, click here.