A hearing aid being developed by Eden Prairie-based Starkey will eventually be capable of a new set of skills that includes facial recognition, reading, and brain assistance that helps users focus, relax and sleep better.
The device will be called Livio Edge AI. Its predecessor, called Livio AI, provides users with improved hearing capabilities while tracking body and brain health. It was recently named by TIME Magazine as one of the Best 2019 Inventions and recognized by The Verge as one of the most promising devices of the last decade.
Starkey officially announced a new set of capabilities for the currently in development Livio Edge at its annual expo last week that borders on futuristic.
The device has an accompanying pair of smart glasses that recognize everyday items and even people. The system will detect who you are talking to and tell you their name in your ear. It can also scan barcodes and tell you about the product you're holding. And on top of that, Livio will scan the words of a book and recite it into your ear. It can also tell the value of different paper currencies.
Livio also has "brain assist," which allows users to manage brain states. It can help them focus, relax or sleep better.
The device connects to two apps: the Thrive Care app and the Balance Builder app. Thrive helps caregivers keep track of a loved one's physical activity and social engagement. It is designed to provide peace of mind for care providers and help the hearing aid wearer live independently and safely.
Balance Builder, developed by Starkey, is designed to help improve balance, stability, strength and gait. The user is guided through balance exercises and workouts, based on head movements detected from sensors in Livio Edge AI hearing aids.
Livio Edge AI will officially be released in February. The hearing and visual enhacements, as well as brain assist, will become available down the road.
Prior to the update, Livio still had some pretty interesting features. The device contains sensors and AI technology that allows users to stream music; verbally answer questions like a smart assistant; translate conversations from one language to another; detect falls and measure physical activity. It also tracks how often users talk to other people during the day – a helpful feature for elderly users who can become isolated.
Starkey CTO Achin Bhowmik told TIME that Livio is the company’s “best-selling product ever.” Bhowmik wears the device even though he doesn’t have hearing loss. “It’s better than normal hearing,” he said to the magazine.
