Artificial Hearing: How AI is being used in hearing aids – WSAW

Report on the Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Hearing Aid Technology and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction

This report details the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in advanced hearing aid technology, as exemplified by its implementation in Wisconsin Rapids. The analysis focuses on the technological capabilities and its significant alignment with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning health, innovation, and social equity.

2.0 Technological Innovation and Functionality

The core innovation is an advanced microchip embedded within the hearing aids. This technology leverages AI to enhance auditory experiences for users, contributing directly to improved quality of life.

• Sound Processing: The AI analyzes millions of real-world sound samples to differentiate human speech from ambient or unwanted noise.
• Enhanced Clarity: The primary function is to deliver a more natural and clear hearing experience, addressing a key challenge for individuals with hearing impairments.
• Assistive Role: The AI is designed as an assistive tool, augmenting the device’s functionality while allowing users to retain full manual control over their settings. This ensures user autonomy and comfort with the technology.

3.0 Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The deployment of AI-powered hearing aids directly supports the achievement of key Sustainable Development Goals by addressing critical health and social challenges.

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: By mitigating hearing loss, this technology significantly improves communication, reduces social isolation, and enhances the overall mental and physical well-being of individuals. It is a direct technological contribution to ensuring healthy lives for all.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The development represents a significant technological innovation within the healthcare industry, showcasing the application of advanced AI to solve real-world health problems and build resilient infrastructure.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The technology promotes social inclusion by enabling individuals with hearing impairments to participate more fully in daily life, education, and employment, thereby reducing inequalities faced by persons with disabilities.
4. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The capability to stream audio directly from public venues like libraries and community centers makes these spaces more accessible and inclusive, fostering stronger community engagement for all citizens.

4.0 User Customization and Accessibility

The technology is designed to be adaptable to individual user needs and lifestyles, ensuring a personalized approach to hearing assistance and promoting greater accessibility.

4.1 Personalization

• The system accounts for varying levels of user activity and personal preferences.
• Users can choose the extent to which they utilize the advanced AI features, ensuring the solution is not a one-size-fits-all approach but is tailored to individual needs.

4.2 Enhanced Connectivity

• A key feature is the ability to stream audio directly from enabled public spaces.
• This functionality improves accessibility in community environments and points toward future applications for AI in assistive hearing devices, further supporting the goals of inclusive communities (SDG 11).

5.0 Economic and Technical Specifications

The market positioning and technical features of these devices are comparable to existing high-end hearing aids, with considerations for accessibility and sustainability.

• Cost: The price ranges from $4,000 to $7,000, a level consistent with traditional hearing aids. The potential for insurance coverage is a key factor in ensuring economic accessibility.
• Power: The devices are rechargeable and offer a battery life of up to 30 hours per charge, promoting sustainability by reducing the reliance on disposable batteries.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on AI-powered hearing aids connects to several Sustainable Development Goals by focusing on health, technological innovation, and social inclusion.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The core subject of the article is a health-related technology designed to improve the quality of life for individuals with hearing impairments. By enabling users to hear with “unprecedented clarity,” the AI hearing aids directly contribute to their overall well-being and ability to interact with their environment.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The article highlights a significant technological innovation. The development and application of a “new chip embedded within the hearing aids” that uses AI to process “millions of different sound samples” is a clear example of advancing industrial technology and fostering innovation to solve real-world problems.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  Hearing loss can be a significant barrier to social participation, creating inequality for those affected. The technology described helps reduce this inequality by empowering individuals with hearing disabilities. The feature allowing users to “directly stream audio from various public spaces, such as libraries and churches,” actively promotes their inclusion in community life.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

• Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

  The article discusses access to a quality health-care service and device (AI-powered hearing aids). It mentions the cost, ranging from “$4,000 to $7,000,” and notes that these costs “may be covered by insurance,” which directly relates to the financial protection and affordability aspects of this target.

• Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries… encouraging innovation.

  The article is a case study of this target in action. The integration of AI into hearing aids represents an upgrade in the technological capabilities of the audiology industry. The hearing specialist’s explanation of how the AI works to “distinguish speech from other unwanted noises” showcases the result of research and development aimed at encouraging innovation.

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

  The technology directly addresses this target by empowering people with a disability. The article states the AI is “enabling them to hear with unprecedented clarity,” which is a fundamental tool for social inclusion. The personalized nature of the technology, which takes into account that “some people are more active than others,” further supports the goal of including all individuals based on their specific needs.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article implies several indicators that could be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Indicator for Target 3.8 (Implied): Proportion of the population with access to affordable, quality health technology.

  The article provides data points for this. The availability of these advanced hearing aids at the Wisconsin Rapids Beltone Clinic indicates access. The price range of “$4,000 to $7,000” and the mention of potential insurance coverage are metrics related to affordability and financial protection for essential health services.

• Indicator for Target 9.5 (Implied): The adoption of new and advanced technologies by an industry.

  The article describes the “integration of AI into hearing aids” as a “growing trend in clinics nationwide.” This trend serves as an indicator of the technological upgrading of the healthcare device industry. The specific innovation—a new chip that processes millions of sound samples—is a qualitative indicator of enhanced research and development.

• Indicator for Target 10.2 (Implied): Increased participation of persons with disabilities in community activities.

  The article implies this through the features of the device. The ability to “directly stream audio from various public spaces, such as libraries and churches” is a feature designed to facilitate participation. An increase in the number of people with hearing impairments using such technology to engage in these public spaces could serve as a measure of progress toward social inclusion.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators’ to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: wsaw.com