The presence of microphones in wireless headphones and the ability to use algorithms to process sound has inevitably led to some models being used as medical devices to make the lives of people with hearing impairments easier. U.S. regulators have approved Samsung’s wireless headphones for this use, and the corresponding functionality will appear after a software update in the fourth quarter.
Image source: Samsung Electronics
Is it true? Press release On the Samsung website, Samsung emphasizes that the hearing aid function will only be available in those markets that have received official certification, and only the Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Galaxy Buds4 Pro models will support this function at the hardware level. In the United States, this feature is available to citizens over 18 with moderate or severe hearing loss. The built-in hearing test feature will allow you to take an initial test of your hearing acuity without visiting a medical professional, but without losing the quality of diagnosing health problems. Based on the results of such diagnosis, Samsung headphones will be able to adjust sound amplification based on the physical characteristics of the individual user.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than 1.5 billion people on Earth suffer from some degree of hearing loss, and that number could rise to 2.5 billion by 2050. Only a small proportion of these people use specialized hearing aids because they may be deterred by the high cost of such devices, social stigma, or lack of access to qualified medical care. The use of consumer headphones in this area will improve the quality of life for many people.
Samsung Electronics has been experimenting with such functions for its headphones since 2020; successfully completed clinical trials in 2021; and collaborated with experts from professional laboratories when developing new functions. Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Galaxy Buds4 Pro users can customize the hearing aid mode that suits their needs in just five minutes after updating the included software. Samsung devices allow you to amplify high frequencies, other people’s whispers and distant sounds, taking into account the health of the specific user. Along the way, active noise cancellation and sound isolation in certain directions will be available. At the software level, in order to achieve full functionality, the user ecosystem will require the Samsung Health utility and One UI interface not lower than version 8.
If you find an error, select it with your mouse and press CTRL+ENTER.
