iHearBetter - a revolutionizing assistive listening device for hearing-impaired individuals

According to the charity Action on Hearing Loss, hearing loss is the second most common disability in the UK, affecting approximately 11 million people. Action on Hearing Loss estimates that this number could increase to 15.6 million by 2035. Hearing loss causes difficulties understanding speech, especially in noisy environments such as restaurants and pubs. As a result, people with hearing loss often start to avoid these environments and can become isolated. Some people are fitted with hearing aids, which work by amplifying speech sounds. However, they can be difficult to get used to and many users continue to struggle in background noise, with some giving up using them.

Technology has been developed to address this problem. One example is loop systems, which function by feeding sound from a microphone into an electrical wire fitted around a room or in a desk. Hearing aids have a programme that picks up sound from the loop system, making it easier to hear sound that is further away; for example, at an event. This relies on the loop system being switched on and functioning correctly and does not help with hearing every-day conversations. Another example is microphones that connect to hearing aids via Bluetooth. They can be positioned close to a sound source and can allow the user to hear that sound better in background noise. Some users have difficulty using this technology and find that it does not completely resolve the problem. In a meeting, for example, several people may start speaking at once and the microphone cannot separate out the voice that a user wants to listen to.

AudioTelligence is a company working with the University of Cambridge to develop a new device to improve the way that people with hearing impairment hear in background noise. AudioTelligence have already developed technology that can separate out several different sound sources in noisy environments. The aim of this project is to develop an easy-to-use device that can take these different sound sources and work out which of them a person wants to listen to, based on cues such as eye movements or head turns. As a user turns to look at the person speaking, the device will automatically focus on that signal, blocking out other voices in the room. The device will have the potential to connect to all Bluetooth supported headsets including hearing aids and cochlear implants.