Wearable augmented reality devices help users hear more clearly

Wearable augmented reality devices (WARDs) are a cost-effective alternative to conventional hearing aids (HAs) for patients suffering from mild to moderate hearing loss, according to a recent study. WARDs have high patient satisfaction and lead to significant improvements in sound field audiometry.

“Owing to high price and poor accessibility of HAs, OTC hearing devices such as WARDs could be an alternative partial solution for hearing loss,” the researchers said.

“In the near future, WARDs will have greater potential as technology develops and government regulation changes. Further large-scale comparative research regarding the clinical effectiveness of WARDs is necessary,” they added.

Forty patients (mean age 55.4 years, 55 percent women) were prospectively enrolled and given a WARD, which they were instructed to wear at least 4 hours per day for 2 weeks. Sound field audiometry, sound field word recognition score (WRS), and the Korean version of the hearing in noise test (K-HINT) were used to evaluate unaided and aided audiologic performance. The Korean version of the abbreviated profile of hearing aid benefit (K-APHAB) was used to assess patient satisfaction.

Audiologic testing was performed in 14 participants, whose average unaided threshold of sound field audiometry was 43.45 dB HL. This improved significantly when the test was aided by WARD (40.48 dB HL; p=0.001). [JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2022;10:e33476]

Similarly, sound field WRS was significantly benefited by WARD, with scores jumping from 55.43 percent in the unaided condition to 67.71 percent with WARD (p=0.002). Mean K-HINT, however, did not differ between groups (–0.65 vs –0.68; p=0.97).

K-APHAB scores were available for 40 patients. Ease of communication was significantly better in the aided vs unaided condition (mean, 20.15 vs 42.30 points; p<0.001). The same was true regarding communication in the presence of background noise (mean, 35.17 vs 48.28 points; p<0.001).

Moreover, participants said that WARDs led to significantly better hearing in large spaces with echoes (mean, 51.58 vs 27.35 points; p<0.001). The global K-APHAB score was similarly superior in the aided condition (p<0.001). In contrast, WARDs led to a significantly worse perception of loud events (p<0.001).

“These results indicated that if patients use a WARD, their difficulties in listening were improved in various situations including quiet or easy conversation, loud sounds or sound at a distance, and in the presence of ambient noise,” the researchers said.

“However, the aversion subscale was significantly increased under the aided condition: loud and noisy sounds were amplified with a WARD with a resulting increase in discomfort,” they added.

“Overall satisfaction with a WARD in daily life was high in this study, and we speculate that this high satisfaction might be influenced by the current COVID-19 pandemic,” the researchers said, pointing out that in Korea, people continue to wear masks outdoors, which in turn could pose challenges to communications, among those with impaired hearing.

“In this pandemic situation, WARDs could foster conversations,” they added.