For someone with normal hearing ability, the brain is excellent at homing in on exactly who or what we are trying to hear and deciphering those sounds even in the midst of a great din. Once we begin to experience hearing loss, however, this singling out and understanding someone speaking in the midst of background noise becomes very difficult and tiring for our brains.
This particular issue is often not helped much by hearing aids, because they create what has come to be known as “The Cocktail Party Effect.”
The Cocktail Party Effect
At cocktail parties everyone is standing around talking to each other. As more people filter in and begin talking, the overall noise level begins to rise, and before long it’s difficult for anyone to hear anyone else. As people start to almost shout to be heard it is difficult for anyone to endure for very long.
When you have hearing aids, often they will amplify all sound, so even background noises can become overpowering, which doesn’t help when you are trying to listen to and understand one thing.
Technology to the Rescue
Fortunately hearing aid technology advances just as fast as other technology, and a recent solution to this problem has been addressed by Artificial Intelligence in your hearing aids. How does it do it? By reading your mind.
When Hearing Aids Can Read Your Thoughts
This revolutionary technology uses artificial intelligence to segment sounds in the environment while simultaneously reading the brain activity of the wearer to deduce which sounds to focus on. These new hearing aids then amplify just that one sound or voice that you are trying to hear.
Remember that the first step to halting hearing loss and preventing further damage is to recognize your situation. Come in today for a hearing screening and formulate a strategy to train your brain to listen actively and effectively.
Where Can I Get It?
Unfortunately, these hearing aids aren’t available quite yet… they are still working out the kinks and trying to create hearing aids that don’t require superficial brain implants to function. Scientists at Columbia University are hard at work spearheading this innovative technology to make it available to everyone.
As for now, many hearing aids have noise canceling technology and directional microphones that do a pretty good job of helping you to hear the sounds you want, as long as you are facing the source of it.
We look forward to the day when we can use mind-reading hearing aids to help us hear as naturally as when we had perfect hearing, but until then we have great technology that can help, so come in for a hearing evaluation and we will help you find the right fit for you.
Remember that the first step to halting hearing loss and preventing further damage is to recognize your situation. Come in today for a hearing screening and formulate a strategy to train your brain to listen actively and effectively.
Diablo Hearing Services 2301 Camino Ramon, STE 106 San Ramon CA94583 (925) 394-4646
Resources: Read more about this fascinating artificial intelligence technology in hearing aids.