Technology has advanced so much in 10 years. It’s significantly changing the lives of those with hearing impairments. Advanced tech like live captions and digital hearing aids are just two of these breakthroughs.
Live captions are revolutionizing communication
Live Caption AI, stream live conversational captions across multiple devices
Our brand-new app, Live Caption AI, uses technology to create the highest-quality captions in everyday life settings. The original Live Caption app, launched in 2011, was the first to use speech-to-text tech to display real-time conversations. It is now leading the way in streaming high-quality captions to thousands of devices via a public URL.
Pupils and students are also benefiting in education settings. Discussions are much easier with live captions, and they support inclusive learning. and see much more accurate subtitles on streaming services and live TV due to the use of automated captions. This gives a much better experience when watching sports and concerts as well.
The digital hearing aid era
Modern hearing aids are much sleeker with loads of features. Specsavers digital aids produce much better sound quality that can be fine-tuned to a person’s needs. Their advanced algorithms filter background noise, making conversations much more enjoyable. They also connect directly to smartphones, TVs, and other devices. The audio then gets sent straight to the user’s hearing aid. They’re also rechargeable, so no more fiddling with tiny batteries.
The power of cochlear implants
Cochlear implants have changed a lot in 10 years, just like hearing aids. New innovations, such as electrode designs and implantation techniques, are constantly improving them.
A lot of people now have bilateral cochlear implants, which are two devices instead of one. It gives users a more natural listening experience and localizes sound. In loud environments, this makes it easier to listen to people talking and appreciate music.
Smart home devices for hearing impaired
Smart homes have made life much easier for the hearing impaired. Devices like Ring smart doorbells and fire alarms to Safewear are helping people feel safer. Most tech has flashing lights or vibrations to alert users when action is needed. Most households have a voice assistant like ‘Alexa’. But if you didn’t already know, they can provide text-based responses to make it easier to communicate.
Smartwatches and other wearable tech
Wearables give visual and haptic (touch) insights. They also produce health updates and text notifications, so wearers never miss anything important. Samsung smartwatches (along with many others) can also connect to hearing aids for even better communication. They have the safety benefits of location tracking and emergency alerts, which can be easily triggered.
Other exciting innovations include audio computing, where users can interact conversationally in natural language with devices like the Iyo audio computers. This will open many ways to augment hearing with a personalized soundscape and add functional interfaces to users that don’t require hands.
AI and machine learning are transforming accessibility
All the news at the moment seems to be about AI. But this technology is truly life-changing for someone with a hearing impairment. This tech adapts to whatever the user needs most. Machine learning also uses algorithms to analyze users' hearing profiles and personal preferences. It’s making for a much more reliable experience. Speech recognition tools that convert spoken language into text now may soon be able to translate into other languages, including sign language, in real time as well.
Conclusion
Technology has changed the lives of everyone in the last 10 years, but significantly so for those with hearing impairments. With new technology, there are many new ways to communicate, creating much more reliability and a better quality of life. We may be overwhelmed by the news about AI advancements daily, but they truly are changing lives.
If you want to learn more about Live Caption AI and how to use the app to better your life, view our FAQ page and find out where to begin.