Medical technology is rapidly improving to restore compromised senses. Our sensory abilities depend on our body’s ability to 1) obtain environmental signals 2) process those signals and 3) respond based on those signals. My time working on spinal cord stimulators has given me an appreciation of these processes and the problems that can arise. The acquisition of external signals comes from our key sensory organs: ears (hearing), eyes (seeing), nose (smelling), skin (touching), and mouth (tasting). The signals are transmitted to the brain via the spinal cord. In the brain, the signals are processed and we make decisions on what to do next based on the analysis: if the cookie tastes good, we have another bite. If the stove is hot, we retract our hands. If the song is good, we turn the radio up. Because we need our senses to interact with the world, not surprisingly, when our senses are compromised, quality of life is dramatically compromised.
As neurostimulation has advanced, our ability to restore the senses has improved. However, this technology is usually incredibly difficult to get right, invasive, expensive, and fraught with regulatory hurdles. Spinal cord stimulators, for example, though highly effective for some types of pain, can cost upwards of $25,000. Thus, solutions that can improve external acquisition of signals could be attractive on many levels.
My dad has trouble hearing and has worn hearing aids for the last several years. While hearing aid technology has improved, there are fundamental issues that still exist. He can hear pretty well in a 1:1 conversation, provided the person he is speaking to doesn’t have soft voice. However, he struggles listening to someone who is talking to him in a crowded room. Apparently, this is a common problem for people with moderate to severe hearing loss:
According to this article, one of the causes of hearing problems in crowded rooms is the inability to hear a normal range of frequencies.
One solution to this problem is a product out of Holland: the Varibel Hearing Glass.
According to Varibel, with regular hearing aids, people “hear each noise, amplified, creating an uncomfortable experience for the wearer”. By contrast, Variable’s Hearing Glasses amplify sound coming from the front while dampening. The user will theoretically be able to better hear the person he is talking to while not getting distracted by background noise.
Varibel offers two varieties. The first offers bluetooth connectivity to a smartphone. The second offers four microphones for directional hearing. It costs 2,300 - 2,500 Euros.
Unlike neurostimulation approaches, this approach to hearing problems is non-invasive (no surgery required), and focuses on improving signal acquisition.
The company has been around since 2003 but does not sell in the US. As a medical device professional, I’m surprised I haven’t heard of this technology. Why might that be? With products of this nature (they should be home runs, but aren't), I have found that the problems usually boil down to:
- The product doesn’t work
- The product is uncomfortable
- The product is too expensive
- Insurance doesn’t reimburse it
- The product looks tacky
We can look to Google Glass's short time on the market to get clues on what might be slowing up Varibel.
Google Glass was halted (at least temporarily) due to technical issues (some described it as a product not ready for primetime), but also in large part to the negative social perception. However, I expect that a product like Varibel’s would not create the same negative backlash as it is aimed to improve the quality of life of its users, and no one is going to object to that.
I look forward to the day when a product with Google Glass-like features is launched with improved aesthetics and augmented hearing features. Clinical trials may ultimately be needed to establish efficacy and to ensure reimbursement by insurance providers. Else, the price may need to be lowered drastically to ensure that the majority of the market can afford the product through out-of-pocket payment. People certainly need cheaper, non-invasive solutions like this to their hearing problems.
