We recently took a look at the new Livio hearing aids from US hearing aid manufacturer Starkey.
Starkey is calling the Livio AI hearing aid ‘revolutionary’. By all accounts, the new Livio hearing aids are a real leap ahead in hearing aid technology. Though the Livio devices look the same as other Starkey hearing aids, they come with extra features that make them stand out from other devices.
In particular, the Livio AI (the AI stands for Artificial Intelligence) not only helps you hear better in noisy places, it combines hearing care with care for your overall health.
I’ll explain.
There are two versions: Livio and Livio AI. The big difference is that you get more features with the AI version.
Here are the main features of the Livio hearing aid (both versions):
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Compatible with your phone & other wireless accessories
They communicate directly to your iPhone and via a wireless accessory to your Android smartphone, so you can speak and listen to people on the phone at the touch of a button. This has become a standard feature of most new hearing devices.
You can also stream music or podcasts via your hearing aids, but you can only do this directly with your iPhone. Again, you will need a wireless accessory to stream to your Android smartphone, but it can be done.
As well as connecting to your phone, you can also connect to a remote microphone or a TV Streamer – which is ideal when there’s a bit of background noise.
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Better noise management
Sound quality is always a priority for people wearing hearing aids. A great feature of the Livio devices is that they communicate back and forth with each other, adjusting constantly to the listening environment.
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Better control via apps
More and more hearing devices allow you to take control of your listening settings via apps. This can be convenient in between visits to your hearing care professional.
Using the Thrive™ app, you can adjust the programming of your hearing aid as you move from different sounds settings (for example, when you leave home and go to a busy supermarket or café).
How the Livio AI is different from the standard Livio hearing aid
Some of the ground-breaking features of the Livio AI encourage you to be more socially and physically active. By tracking your activity, it’s hoped that you’ll reduce the risks to your health of an inactive life with little social interaction.
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Movement detection
The Livio AI devices are a combination of a hearing aid and an on-board activity tracker. So, if you’re somebody who is concerned about keeping healthy and active, you can use the devices to track your activity – things like how much you walk and move around. It also measures your heart rate. You’re given a ‘score’ out of 100 and the more you move, the higher your activity score.
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Measuring your brain health
As we get older, our brain health can deteriorate. Adults with moderate to severe hearing loss are three to five times more likely to develop dementia.
Better hearing means better brain health.
Livio AI hearing aids have a built-in brain tracker that reads the listening environments you’re in. So, for example, you get a higher score if you wear your hearing aids more. Why? Because this is an indication that you’re probably interacting with other people.
You’ll also receive an ‘active listening’ score as the hearing aids detect that you’re moving between different listening environments.
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Language translation
The language translation feature of the Livio AI is amazing. It’s a handy feature if you love to travel. Using an easy-to-use tool within the Thrive app, you’ll be able to understand people speaking other languages. You can choose between 27 different languages.
If you’re an English speaker, it means that when a person is speaking to you in another language, their speech will be translated into English via your hearing aids.
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Falls detection
According to Starkey, Livio AI is the “world’s first hearing aid that can detect falls and send alert messages to selected contacts.”
People with hearing loss can be at a higher risk of falling, so this feature may make a real difference.
You can select up to three contacts to be notified if you fall using the Thrive app. Your contacts will then be sent an alert message if you fall. There’s also a manual alert where the wearer can tap the hearing aid to send an alert for a fall or non-fall related event.
We understand it’s not yet available (May 2019), but will be introduced sometime soon.
Who should buy the Livio AI hearing aid?
It’s possible that the features in the Livio AI hearing aid will set a new trend. They’re certainly an innovation in the industry.
They’re great if you’re tech-savvy and like to track everything and if you like being the first to try out new technology.
And for many older people who want to live independently in their own home, the Livio AI hearing aids can help to stimulate their physical and mental health. And of course, the falls detection feature is really reassuring.
The Livio AI hearing devices are a premium hearing aid, so they will cost you a bit more than other hearing aids.
Get in touch!
To find out more about Starkey’s Livio hearing aids, please give us a call on 1300 970 558 to make an appointment or contact us online.