From automatically translating foreign languages to speech-enhancement in noisy environments, the promise of hearables is exciting. Soon augmented reality glasses and other interfaces will include hearables, so that sound becomes part of the immersive experience. In Engadget’s recent Public Access article, The Future is in the Ear of the Beholder, Simon Carlile, Senior Director of Research, Starkey Hearing Research Center and Stuart Karten, President, Karten Design share an overview on the future of hearables.
Many are skeptical that people would want to wear a hearable, but today people wear hearing aids to enhance their environment and that is what a hearable will essentially do – in a different and richer way. The future is bright for hearables and it will be interesting to watch how hearables are adopted into everyday life. Simon and Stuart provided insight on this topic at the annual SXSW Conference and Festival, March 10-19, 2017. The session, Hearables and the Age of Mediated Listening, was included in the IEEE Tech for Humanity Series at SXSW.
