The new Oticon Zeal uses AI to distinguish voices from background noise.
ARTIFICIAL intelligence is increasingly being used in healthcare, with a new generation of hearing aids using machine learning to help people distinguish speech from background noise rather than simply making sounds louder.
The technology reflects a broader trend in medicine, where AI is being incorporated into devices designed to personalise care and assist people with chronic health conditions.
Hearing technology manufacturer Oticon has launched its latest AI-powered hearing aid, Oticon Zeal, in South Africa. The company says the device uses artificial intelligence trained on millions of real-world sound environments to process speech and surrounding sounds in real time.
Unlike conventional hearing aids, which primarily amplify sound, AI-enabled devices are designed to analyse different listening environments and prioritise speech while reducing background noise.
