Technology is impacting many parts of our daily lives. Most of us rely on technology devices to help us work, eat healthy, stay in touch with friends and family, and more. In fact, it’s estimated that over 80% of Americans own a smartphone!
Smartphones and mobile devices open up a new world of possibilities. Many of us are using smartphone applications on a daily basis. Did you know that consumers recorded a phenomenal 204 billion applications in 2019?
Nowadays, there are applications to track our health, fitness, and other medical uses. There are even applications to help your hearing health. Today, we’re taking a closer look at some of these apps.
6 Apps to Help Your Hearing Health
These smartphone applications can make it easier to look after your hearing health. Plus, some of these applications can make communication easier. It’s a win-win!
1.) Decibel Readers – Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is estimated to affect 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. aged 20-69. Exposure to damaging levels of noise can pose a significant risk to your hearing health.
Smartphone apps that measure the volume level in your environment can help you determine if you need to use hearing protection. DecibelX is a free application, compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
If you have an Apple iPhone or an Apple Watch, you may be able to benefit from built-in hearing health trackers. On the Apple Watch, you can configure a noise app to alert you to dangerous noise volumes. With Apple’s Health App, you can monitor sound levels in your environment and through your headphones.
2.) Google Live Transcribe – This is a relatively newer application to hit the market. Google Live Transcribe will use your phone’s microphone to listen and then adapt sounds into text for you to read.
Currently, Google Live Transcribe supports more than 70 languages. It can even interpret 2 different languages simultaneously. Users can also type their response on their smartphone, making conversations easier.
3.) hearWHO – Launched by the World Health Organization (WHO), the hearWHO application helps you track your hearing health over time. This free application is “designed to draw attention to the importance of early detection of hearing loss.”
By using your smartphone, the application will play out numbers for users to identify. The numbers are “spoken against varying levels of background sound, simulating listening conditions in everyday life.”
The application will score your hearing out of 75. It provides insight into what your score means, and what your next steps should be. Lower scores indicate you may need to visit a hearing healthcare specialist.
4.) Hearing Helper – Specifically for Apple devices, and only available through the Apple store, this app offers voice to text. When you hold down the button it listens and transcribes what it hears for you. It is also useful for people whose first language isn’t English.
5.) Sound Alert – This free application is available on iOS and Android devices. The Sound Alert application can help make sure you don’t miss any important sounds – such as the doorbell, home alarm or a timer.
6.) SoundPrint – SoundPrint is a fantastic application to help you find quiet places to eat, dine out, or simply relax. Think of it like Yelp for people with a hearing impairment.
Users can rate and review places they have visited. They can highlight ‘quiet spots’, or places where noise volumes make conversations difficult. Remember, if you’re going to take advantage of the application to leave a few reviews yourself!
These applications can make it easier than ever to help with various aspects of your hearing health. However, while the mobile device apps continue to improve, they are not a substitute for going to your local hearing care professional and getting your regular hearing assessments.
At Anderson Audiology, We’re Here to Help You!
We are a full-service audiology practice committed to improving your quality of life through better hearing. If you’d like to learn more about protecting your hearing at home, please refer to our Hearing Loss Prevention guide here. We look forward to welcoming you back to our clinics soon.