World Hearing Day, held annually on March 3rd, is a global campaign dedicated to raising awareness about hearing loss and promoting ear and hearing care.
The number 3 resembles an ear, a fitting symbol for World Hearing Day, observed annually on the third day of the third month.
This global event champions the importance of protecting our hearing, raising awareness about hearing loss, and promoting accessible, person-centred ear and hearing care.
Each year, the World Health Organization and its partners focus their activities around a specific theme. This year, WHO’s campaign, “Changing mindsets: empower yourself to make ear and hearing care a reality for all,” focuses on shifting public perception about ear and hearing health.
It encourages individuals of all ages to proactively prioritize their hearing and empower others to do the same. The campaign emphasizes the crucial link between ear and hearing health, overall well-being and social participation.
WHO urges everyone to take concrete steps:
- Protect their hearing from loud noises
- Get regular hearing checks
- Use assistive devices when necessary
- Support those experiencing hearing loss
Empowered individuals can drive positive change, both personally and within their communities.
The rise in hearing issues
Hearing loss is the inability to hear normally—hearing thresholds of 20 dB or better in both ears. It can range from mild to profound, affecting one or both ears and can make it difficult to hear conversational speech or loud sounds.
Individuals with mild to severe hearing loss are often referred to as “hard of hearing.” They typically communicate using spoken language and can benefit from assistive technologies like hearing aids, cochlear implants, and captioning.
“Deaf” individuals usually have profound hearing loss, meaning they have very little or no hearing. They often communicate using sign language.
Globally, over 430 million people (more than 5% of the population), including 34 million children, require rehabilitation for disabling hearing loss (greater than 35 dB in the better ear). This number is projected to rise to over 700 million (1 in 10 people) by 2050.
Disabling hearing loss disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries, with nearly 80% of those affected residing there. It also becomes more prevalent with age, affecting over 25% of individuals over 60.
The role of technology in addressing hearing loss
Technology is making a big difference for people with hearing loss. New gadgets, like smart glasses that show captions and hearing aids that block out noise, are helping people hear better.
Scientists are also working on new ways to diagnose hearing problems and make hearing aids more affordable. All these advances mean better hearing health for more people.
While technology has made huge strides in hearing aids, gaps still exist. Many advanced devices remain expensive, putting them out of reach for many who need them.
Even with advanced features, some hearing aids struggle to replicate natural hearing in complex environments. Finally, the stigma surrounding hearing aids persists, preventing some people from seeking help.
Smart hearing aids launched at CES 2025
At CES 2025, hearing aids became both more functional and fashionable.
Several companies unveiled smart glasses that integrate hearing assistance with other features:
XanderGlasses
These wearable assistive devices translate speech-to-text for individuals with significant hearing difficulties. Using Vuzix Shield smart glasses, XanderGlasses capture audio, convert it to captions, and project them onto the wearer’s field of vision in real time, facilitating confident social interactions without requiring a cloud connection.
Captify Smart Glasses
Captify’s smart eyewear aims to empower those with hearing loss through noise-cancelling microphones and a user-friendly smartphone interface. Their lightweight, stylish design is compatible with prescription lenses, making them suitable for everyday wear. Features like multilingual translation and a 10-hour battery life enhance their practicality.
Nuance Audio Glasses
EssilorLuxottica’s Nuance Audio glasses are over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids integrated into smart glasses, targeting mild to moderate hearing loss. Beam-forming technology helps isolate speech and reduce background noise for clearer conversations.
Other notable innovations include:
Elehear Intelligence Co Ltd
Elehear, a 2024 HearAdvisor Expert Choice Award winner, offers the Beyond hearing aid, known for its strong amplification at an affordable price. It supports music and call streaming for iOS and Android and features real-time multilingual translation. The company also previewed its upcoming ELEHEAR Beyond Pro, promising enhanced sound clarity and an improved user experience.
hearDL (Hear DeLight)
This South Korean company claims to offer the world’s first combined hearing aid and live-caption app, running on a smartphone. hearDL utilizes three AI programs to reduce noise, personalize hearing settings, and provide live captions, integrating functionalities previously available only through separate apps.
iCombo Tech
This Hong Kong startup focuses on “plug-and-play” hearing aids utilizing Class H driver technology. iCombo offers the BTE i6888-RIC and i9000-RIC with Smart Dock and is collaborating with the Logistics and Supply Chain Multi-Tech R&D Centre (LSCM) to develop advanced features, including potential Alzheimer’s detection capabilities.
World Hearing Day 2025
Hearing loss is a growing global problem, but technology is offering new hope. From smart glasses that display captions to hearing aids with AI-powered noise reduction, innovative devices are making a real difference.
Events like CES 2025 highlight the rapid progress in this field, showing how technology can improve hearing health and quality of life for millions.
This World Hearing Day let’s take steps to improve our hearing health and of those around us.
-By Rohini Kundu and the AHT Team
