
2 minute read
LISTENING MODES FOR A NEW REALITY
Listening Modes
FOR A NEW REALITY
Recently, we’ve had to adjust to a new way of life where wearing masks in public places has become the norm. It’s a new requirement that has drastically altered the way we interact and socialize.

While masks are certainly necessary, they’re also a barrier to communication for hearing-impaired people and those who wear hearing aids. Not only do they mute speech, they also change the way it sounds (by muffling higher-frequency sounds) and stop people from being able to see others’ lips. That makes it hard for people with hearing loss to listen to and participate in conversations. Of course, masks don’t all affect comprehension in the same way, and there are even masks designed with windows to allow for lip reading. And now hearing aids are pitching in, too, with a new technology that does more than just amplify sound—it also factors in mask wearing, physical distancing, and ambient noise, all of which can hinder communication. One manufacturer has released two new listening modes, powered by artificial intelligence, that account for today’s realities.
Edge Mode
Artificial intelligence has been a boon to many different industries, finding solutions to problems that were thought to be unsolvable. For hearing aids, it’s being used in hearing aids listening modes to constantly improve wearers’ listening experience. For instance, one hearing aids manufacturer’s Edge mode improves the audibility of speech in a variety of different situations. So no matter how far apart two people are, whether they’re wearing masks, and whether there’s ambient noise, Edge mode helps hearing aids wearers understand better. To activate this mode, wearers just have to wait until the other person starts talking. Then they activate it by pressing on their hearing aids twice. This allows Edge mode to focus on the speaker’s voice, optimizing the artificial intelligence function so that it can improve the sound quality of the other person’s speech. Of course, this mode doesn’t restore visual cues. However, it can account for the current situation and compensate for the lost information.
Mask Mode
As for Mask mode, it specifically improves the clarity of speech when people are wearing masks. Hearing aids wearers just need to activate it when they’re talking to someone who’s wearing a mask.
This mode: + Promotes speech comprehension in noisy environments + Allows wearers to better understand people who are wearing masks by amplifying speech sounds
Of course, it also helps you keep in touch with your friends and family. And right now, that’s more essential than ever!
Rizlane Bellamlih
Territory Manager – Québec
An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.