Essilor Luxottica Launches New Era with Pulse Audition Hearing Aids
Despite the significant health impact of hearing loss, its treatment is often overlooked. Pulse Audition is revolutionizing the field with AI-based hearing aids for glasses, blending technology and empathy to enhance the experience for the hearing impaired.
Despite a high incidence of hearing loss, particularly among those aged 55-74, the adoption of hearing aids is notably low in society. For instance, a survey shows that out of 23 million adults in the U.S. with hearing loss, many do not use hearing aids.
## The Consequences of Not Using Hearing Aids
The neglect in adopting hearing aids is alarming as it can lead to severe health consequences, including an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. **Epidemiological studies have suggested a link between hearing loss and these health risks** (Powell et al., 2021).
## The Reasons for Low Adoption of Hearing Aids
Several factors contribute to the low uptake of hearing aids: social stigma, lack of awareness of one’s own hearing loss, and the perceived inefficiency of aids in noisy environments. This has spurred a need for innovation targeted at these groups of hearing-impaired individuals. Notably, with Apple’s focus on the subject with AirPods, it becomes strategic for Essilor Luxottica for their Nuance Audio glasses and likely for RayBan Meta as well. **This likely motivated Essilor Luxottica’s acquisition of the startup, for an undisclosed amount.**
## A Solution: Pulse Audition
In response to this challenge, Pulse Audition aims to end the social isolation caused by hearing loss. They offer a solution that uses artificial intelligence to enhance speech perception, even in noisy settings.
The empathetic design of this solution places great importance on user feedback. _”Talk to one user… begin to jump to a solution. Talk to users of 5+… start to understand the problem.” – Luke Wroblewski._ This mirrors the philosophy of Pulse Audition: designing both for and with users.
By combining strong technical expertise with a deep understanding of user needs and experiences, their goal is to provide a solution that addresses the frustrations and isolation associated with hearing loss, while also minimizing the stigma surrounding the use of hearing aids. Understanding and embracing the challenges associated with hearing aid use is crucial for developing effective, user-centered solutions like those offered by Pulse Audition.