It can be very embarrassing to have to ask people to repeat themselves during a conversation because you're struggling to hear and understand what they're saying. But you're not alone. Over 48 million Americans suffer from significant hearing loss. More significantly, 1 out of 3 people over the age of 65 have some type of hearing loss. Fortunately, you don't have to suffer in silence because there are solutions. When some people think of hearing aids, they think of clunky, outdated, conspicuous devices. But hearing aid technology is rapidly advancing all the time. Here are four of the latest features.

Rechargeable

One of the most annoying and expensive aspects of hearing aids was the need to constantly replace batteries. Because batteries for hearing aids are typically unusual and never a commonly found item at the local convenience store, it can be difficult to replace them if they fail while you're on the go. Fortunately, rechargeable hearing aids solve that problem. Just like you charge your phone and night, you can plug in your hearing aids and experience a full day of battery life the next morning. You can finally say goodbye to those annoying little batteries.

Sound Processing

Hearing aids are like a little sound system in your ear, so just like when you're listening to music, the better the sound quality is, the more nuance you hear. Advances in sound processing and frequency response have rapidly improved, and now many hearing aids even allow for EQ customization. Because not everyone's hearing loss is the same, this allows the user to customize the hearing aid to benefit their particular hearing loss problems.

Bluetooth

One of the most convenient advances is the option to use Bluetooth. Using short-wave UHF radio waves, Bluetooth technology allows data to be transferred wirelessly over short distances. How does that help you? It allows you to pair your phone directly to your hearing aids. Many venues like movie theaters, churches, and conference centers are beginning to install Bluetooth-capable PA systems that allow you to directly connect your hearing aids to the system. Bluetooth also eliminates a lot of feedback and radio interference.

AI

Some advanced hearing aids even have artificial intelligence systems that are designed to learn your preferences and implement them seamlessly in certain environments. For example, as you customize your preferences in certain places, such as your living room, your bedroom, the office, or the store, the AI in your hearing aid will begin to learn those preferences and make those changes for you automatically when you enter that environment. 

For more information, contact a company like Accurate Hearing Technology Inc.