The global market for hearables is poised to grow to $94 billion by 2026 according to a recent report published by Allied Market Research.
The recent action in 2019 by the US government to sign the over-the-counter hearing aid law has further opened up the market and is driving innovations as exemplified by the new AI-Based hearable from Whisper.ai.
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The transformation in the hearables space is being largely driven by two major factors
First, hearing aid companies are beginning to recognize that users want a device that does more than correct and amplify sound.
Second, commercial electronics companies (more specifically headphone manufacturers) are realizing the potential of “bionics,” or creating in-ear buds that measure biometrics, output great quality sounding music, and have the potential to not only amplify sound but provide ai based devices that can self-learn from continuous use of the device via advanced algorithms.
Given the recent success of Apple AirPods more and more tech companies are evaluating their options in the hearables space.
Whisper.ai aims to make hearing aids inteliigent devices
San Francisco-based Whisper.ai has received FCC approval for its innovative hearable.
The company was co-founded by Dwight Crow who used to be a product manager at Facebook and Schlomo Zippel who has had numerous stints in the tech industry including leading applications user experience at Primesense, a 3D sensing company.
The Whisper Hearing System is a learning hearing aid that gets better over time.
With Whisper, the user’s device receives regular software upgrades containing new features and improved sound processing every few months.
Whisper.ai leverages the power of AI to make a smarter hearing aid
The Whisper Hearing System has earpieces like a traditional hearing aid, but what makes it unique is the power and intelligence of the Whisper Brain, the accessory device that does most of the AI-based processing.
The Whisper Brain is powered by a proprietary Sound Separation Engine that optimizes sound in real-time.
The Whisper hearing system earpieces look kind of like regular earbuds but it’s the software technology in the Whisper Brain that helps to accentuate the hearing experience.
The hearing system comes with two modes of operation.
The dynamic mode automatically adjusts itself for the best listening experience and the custom mode allows users to choose from five different options for the ideal listening experience.
Smart hearing aids are the future
Whisper.ai is not the first company to utilize advanced technology to improve the hearing experience.
The Eargo Neo retails for $2,350 and offers superior audio fidelity in its almost invisible hearing aids by leveraging advanced technology to create different sound profiles that the user can choose from in order to experience a clear and crisp sound.
Another company that operates in the AI-based wearables space today is Livio AI from Starkey.
By including 3D motion sensors like an accelerometer and gyroscope, Livio AI hearing aids are able to detect movement and gestures and give a more reliable readout of your steps and activity.
Looking forward
We expect this space to transform even further as new technology companies join in with existing players to revolutionize the listening experience.
Using artificial intelligence (AI), Livio AI hearing aids can learn and perform tasks including letting you turn streaming on and off by simply tapping your ear instead of your hearing aid, translating languages, and tracking and measuring body and brain health.
Now that the company has the approvals, Whisper.ai is going to release the new product very soon. We are not sure how they will price the product. Feel free to sign up at the company’s site if you are interested in learning more.
