Recently you may have heard people talking about hearables. But do you know what they actually are and what they do? We’ve been delving deeper into the world of hearable technology to make things a bit clearer.

A hearable is a micro computer that fits in your ear canal. It uses wireless technology to enrich your listening experience. Some hearables also include extra features such as; heart rate monitoring, activity tracking and syncing with your smartphone. In the future they could even perform live translation of a foreign language.

From hearing aids to hearables

Some hearing aid manufacturers are already adding new technology to their devices to transform them from ordinary hearing aids into hearables.

Halo by Starkey (pictured right), Linx2 by Resound, First by Beltone and Opn by Oticon are all hearing aids that are currently available which connect to other electronic devices that we use everyday, such as smartphones.

The benefits include:

• Turning your hearing aids into headphones – allowing direct streaming of phones calls, games and music
• Using your smartphone as a remote control for your hearing aids to adjust volume and tone
• Remembering your preferred settings for particular places so the next time you go there your hearing aids automatically adjust
• Converting your smartphone into a microphone so it’s easier to hear in a noisy environment
• Using your smartphone as a hearing aid locator so you can track them down if you ever lose them.

Technology is progressing all the time and we’re keen to see how hearables evolve in the future.

Further info

You can find out more about hearables by speaking to one of our expert audiologists at Mary Hare Hearing Centre. 

Read more in Everyday Hearing's Complete Guide to Hearable Technology in 2016

Or find out how "High-tech hearing aids changed my life" by Daymond John, the star of US TV's version of Dragons' Den - Shark Tank.