This tactile hearing aid is able to improve the lives of people with hearing impairments in a way that does not inconvenience their routines or way of life.
The aid comes in the form of a wearable device called the 'Q' system and wraps around the hand and wrist. It has four different settings -- a transcript recording, "emoticaptioning" where it displays the speaker's "volume, frequency and duration of sound in one graph," as well as touch speed which represents sounds in the form of hand compressions that the person might be missing and bookmarking -- which allows the user to save moments in conversations.
This tactile hearing aid is connected via an app and is able to offer both physical experiences and visual displays that make language interpretation and inflection much easier to comprehend for those who require it.
Tactile Hearing Aids
This Device Provides Tactile and Visual Translations for the Hearing Impaired
Trend Themes
1. Wearable Assistive Devices - The development of wearable assistive devices like the 'Q' system provides new opportunities for improving the lives of people with hearing impairments.
2. Multisensory Translation Technology - The integration of tactile, visual, and audio translations in the 'Q' system demonstrates the potential for developing innovative multisensory translation technology for the hearing impaired.
3. Personalized Hearing Solutions - The bookmarking feature in the tactile hearing aid suggests the potential for personalized hearing solutions that allow users to save and revisit important moments in conversations.
Industry Implications
1. Assistive Technology - The tactile hearing aid is an example of how the assistive technology industry can harness new innovations to provide enhanced support for individuals with hearing impairments.
2. Healthcare Technology - The development of wearable devices like the 'Q' system highlights the opportunities for healthcare technology to improve accessibility and quality of life for people with hearing impairments.
3. Language Interpretation Services - The tactile and visual translations offered by the 'Q' system open up possibilities for disrupting the language interpretation services industry by providing more inclusive and accessible solutions for individuals with hearing impairments.