One of the most beautiful road trips in America is along the Pacific Coast Highway. A little over a hundred years ago the road was being developed and eventually interconnected a number of small existing roads stretching from the Pacific Northwest down to California. Some parts of the highway route began as simple game trails that became foot paths, and later dirt roads before being paved and incorporated into the highway system. Many roads around the world began the same way, starting out small as a single animal or person initially walked on them, followed by many people and animals marking a reliable path, and eventually becoming quite large roadways carrying thousands of cars a day.

Many different things follow a similar pattern. With hearing, the small neurological pathways in the brain that eventually allow a person to hear and understand speech begin developing before birth and are strengthened throughout life. The network is strengthened through repeated use. The more certain sounds are heard, the stronger the auditory pathways become. We can see this play out as musicians can have a significantly greater ability to identify specific sounds within a group of sounds compared to the average person. However, lack of use, as is the case with untreated hearing loss, leads to the decay of the pathway.

Learning and remembering also follow the pattern. Did you know if you hear something multiple times, it is easier to remember? Hearing things more than once, even if phrased differently, increases the likelihood of being able to recall what was said. Or as you may have read, or heard said before, “Repetition is a law of learning.” This is one of the reasons the topics of these articles are presented multiple times in different ways. On the other hand, lack of use of skills or knowledge leads to forgetting part or all of what was once known.

Understanding this law has led scientists to develop numerous technologies to help improve the daily life of individuals. Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has opened opportunities for individuals who struggle to hear in noise to have a better chance of hearing and understanding. The hearing technology of today has been built on technology from the past, and now the technology of today is learning how to do an even better job now and in the future.

Last month the latest and most advanced technology for helping individuals hear was introduced to the public. This technology, known as Omega AI, is now available in multiple different styles, giving options to nearly everyone with hearing loss an opportunity for better hearing. According to a press release from the manufacturer “Omega AI introduces DNN 360, the world’s first deep neural network–powered directionality and special awareness features. This advancement provides as much as 28% better speech intelligibility in challenging environments and up to an 8 dB signal-to-noise ratio improvement for better spatial awareness, all without sacrificing Starkey’s industry-leading 51 hours of battery life or water resistance.”

As a hearing healthcare professional, I am grateful for the continued development, innovation and research manufacturers invest in to give me the best tools for helping individuals with hearing loss.