Rediscover the sounds of life with the new generation of hearing aids integrated with AI

At a hearing aid store in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, northern China, 70-year-old Zhang Wei heard his granddaughter's voice clearly for the first time in many years thanks to a hearing aid equipped with artificial intelligence (AI).

Mr. Zhang is one of a growing number of elderly Chinese people who are finding sound in their daily lives again thanks to a new generation of hearing aids integrated with AI.

In addition to amplifying sound, these devices use advanced algorithms to distinguish speech from ambient noise and are capable of personalized audio enhancement.

A hearing aid specialist in Thai Nguyen city said more than 70% of his company's customers are aged 60 and over.

With China’s elderly population forecast to surpass 400 million by 2035, experts say the future holds immense potential for hearing aid manufacturers. In response, tech companies are stepping up their efforts to innovate.

Xunfei Healthcare's smart hardware director, Cui Rongtao, said the AI models are trained on large amounts of real-world audio data. This training process allows the devices to amplify voices while minimizing background noise in real time, providing more natural sound quality.

In addition, today's smart hearing aids also integrate entertainment and communication features, such as listening to music, making phone calls, and soon even supporting voice-activated virtual assistants.

China's basic medical insurance now covers part of the cost of certain hearing aid models, helping to reduce the financial burden on elderly users.
China has an estimated 27.8 million deaf people, and the number is rising as the population ages.

On the occasion of World Day of the Deaf, September 28, the hearing health of this population group is receiving great attention from the community.

A national guideline on hearing health issued by the National Health Commission calls for strengthening hearing care for key target groups, expanding family doctor services for the elderly, promoting hearing screening, and accelerating the application of AI in this field.

Despite advances, challenges remain. Many people with hearing loss do not use hearing aids due to limited awareness, access to services, or social stigma.

To address this, tech companies are developing easier-to-use devices and expanding services to support the hearing-impaired. For example, Tencent and the China Association for the Deaf are partnering on the “Tian Lai Initiative,” which provides AI-based audio technology, screening, and hearing aids for free in select cities.

Tencent has launched a remote hearing service platform that leverages Tencent Meeting's audio and video communication infrastructure, along with Tencent Cloud's data management and analytics capabilities.

By partnering with professional hearing aid manufacturers and installers, the initiative aims to enhance user convenience and streamline the fitting process./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/tim-lai-am-thanh-cua-cuoc-song-nho-the-he-may-tro-thinh-moi-tich-hop-ai-post1064612.vnp