Wearables have become an integral part of our daily lives. From smart watches that measure your heart rate to earbuds that assess your stress level, technology is shifting further and further toward personal health. But did you know that some wearables now also focus on hearing? Think apps and features that monitor noise levels in your environment, or notifications that alert you if you’re getting too much noise too often. It raises an interesting question: can wearables such as smartwatches detect hearing loss? And if so, how reliable is it really?
In this blog, we dive into the state of the art. We look at what features already exist, what the science says about hearing measurements via wearables, the benefits and limitations, and what the future might look like.
How does hearing measurement normally work?
To understand what a wearable can or cannot do, it is helpful to first consider how hearing loss is normally diagnosed. This is done through an audiometry test, performed by an audiologist or ENT doctor. This involves hearing different tones through headphones at increasing and decreasing volumes and frequencies. In this way it is mapped out which tones you can and cannot perceive.
There are also more advanced methods, such as tympanometry (to measure the functioning of the middle ear) or oto-acoustic emissions (which looks at whether the ear itself produces sound in response). In short, measuring hearing loss is normally a pretty precise process that requires professional equipment.
Of course, a smartwatch doesn’t have a soundproof booth or professional measuring equipment. But that doesn’t mean it can’t do anything.
What are wearables already doing for your hearing?
Most smartwatches and some wireless earbuds focus primarily on prevention rather than diagnosis. Apple, Samsung and Garmin, for example, have built in features that:
- Measure the noise level in your environment: using built-in microphones, the smartwatch records how loud the noise around you is. If you are above 85 decibels for an extended period of time, you will receive an alert.
- Tracking your listening behavior: some devices measure how loud your music or podcasts are and whether you’re doing so safely. You get notifications if you listen too loud structurally.
- Showing statistics on hearing health: in apps like Apple Health, you can look back at how much noise you’ve been exposed to and whether it has been potentially harmful to your hearing.
These functions are mainly there to prevent damage. But they are a first step toward detecting problems.
Can wearables actually detect hearing loss?
The short answer: partially, but not yet completely reliable. There are, however, developments that suggest it will become more realistic in the future.
1. Self-tests via apps
There are apps that perform a kind of hearing test through your earbuds or headphones. You are told tones and must indicate whether you perceive them. This is similar to an audiometry test, but is less accurate because you are not in a quiet booth and because the quality of the earbuds varies widely. Still, such apps can give an initial indication of whether your hearing is deteriorating.
2. Smart algorithms
Researchers are working on algorithms that predict your hearing status based on your listening behavior, volume settings and questionnaire responses. For example, if you structurally turn up your music louder than average, that could be a signal that your hearing is declining.
3. Wearables with advanced sensors
There are experiments with earbuds and headsets that contain special sensors to measure otoacoustic emissions. This sounds futuristic, but it is already possible in laboratories. The idea is that in the future you will be able to take a reliable hearing test simply with your earbuds.
The benefits of wearables in hearing
- Accessibility: anyone with a smartwatch or wireless earbuds can get accessible insight into their hearing health. You don’t have to see an audiologist or doctor right away.
- Awareness: many people do not know how often they are in noise. An alert from your watch can help you wear hearing protection sooner.
- Prevention: getting early warning of risks can help you avoid hearing damage.
- Monitoring in everyday life: unlike a one-time test at the audiologist, a wearable can measure continuously. This gives you a much more complete picture of your exposure to sound.
The limitations and risks
- Reliability: a smartwatch is not a medical audiometer. The results are indicative but not suitable for an official diagnosis.
- Environmental influences: taking a test at home in silence is totally different from taking it in a noisy living room or train.
- Differences in hardware: not all earbuds and watches are of the same quality. As a result, results may vary.
- Privacy and data: hearing data is medical information. When tech companies collect it, the question arises of how secure and private that data remains.
When do you need to go to the audiologist anyway?
Even with the smartest smartwatch, one thing remains true: Do you notice that your understanding of conversations is impaired, that you often ask for repetition or that you experience tinnitus (tinnitus)? If so, you should always have a professional hearing test have it done. A wearable can provide signals, but it can never replace a full diagnosis.
A hearing care professional can also immediately advise on solutions: hearing aids, tinnitus masking devices, or even custom hearing protection to prevent further damage.
The future of hearing measurement via wearables
Chances are that a breakthrough will come in the next few years. We already see wearables gaining more and more medical functions: think heart monitoring (ECG), oxygen saturation and even sleep apnea detection. So it makes sense that hearing will be the next step.
We may soon have earbuds that not only play music but also continuously monitor your hearing. Or smartwatches that, in conjunction with smart earplugs, can produce an accurate hearing curve. This would allow you to make preventive adjustments, even before you notice that your hearing is deteriorating.
And perhaps more importantly, when millions of people collect their hearing data, it can provide valuable insights for science. Think about trends in hearing loss in young people, or the long-term impact of urban noise.
The current situation: useful, but not yet perfect
Can wearables detect hearing loss? Yes, but for now mostly indicative. They are excellent at making you aware of noise and risky listening behaviors. They provide helpful signals that can encourage you to take better care of your hearing. But for a reliable diagnosis, you still need to see an audiologist or ENT doctor.
Still, the development is promising. Who knows, maybe in the future we will be able to check our hearing as easily as our heart rate. Until then, use your smartwatch as a tool, but when in doubt, always trust a professional.
