Hearables and earables: The future of smart hearing

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• September 5, 2022

Insight summary

Hearables, ear-worn devices for health and communication, have evolved from simple sound amplifiers to advanced micro-computers capable of various functions. They integrate with smartphones and networks, offering features like health monitoring, real-time translation, and voice command assistance. However, challenges like frequent charging, cost, potential intrusiveness, and privacy concerns limit their widespread adoption.

Hearables and earables context

Similar to smartwatches and fitness trackers, hearables (sometimes called earables) are ear-worn wearables that can track, analyze and transmit personal data. Since technology analyst Nick Nunn introduced the term “hearable” in 2014, this niche electronics market has experienced steady growth. Hearables are wearables designed to adjust sound amplification, voice transmission, wireless communications, medical monitoring, and fitness tracking. 

Hearables utilize microchip and sensor technology to better understand their users’ physiological conditions and capabilities. Embedded microchips and smart sensors can collect personal user data and connect to smartphones or other electronic devices via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or a cellular network. As of 2021, hearables can monitor health activities like blood pressure and are starting to measure biometric signals and stress levels. Several studies highlighted the reliability of the ear canal as an accurate measuring location for body temperature and pulse oximetry (SpO2). 

As people increasingly focus on personal health and wellness, hearables are a technology expected to experience significant growth in the coming years. Likewise, the wider wearable medical device market is expected to grow at a nearly 23 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2021 and 2027. 

Disruptive impact

Hearables/earables can do more than just increase the sound volume for people with hearing impairments. As this technology advances and integrates with the Internet of Things (IoT), these ear-worn micro-computers will be able to perform a wider range of functions, including real-time translation, monitoring health vitals, and acting as an assistant through voice command. 

Innovations in microprocessors have made it possible for smart wireless earbuds to constantly connect to various electronic devices to expand their functionality and improve their users’ quality of life. Simultaneously, smart device processors are also powerful enough to handle complex computations without delegating them to the cloud. This ability is a form of edge processing that enables network endpoints (like hearables) to perform increasingly complex commands on the device, resulting in faster outputs for the user. 

However, there are several limitations to hearables as of 2021. First, the devices must be charged regularly, which can be inconvenient for heavy users or people who require them for medical tracking. These devices can be pricey, and some models include features that may not be useful for everyone. Hearables can be intrusive if they’re constantly making noise or vibrating; they may be distracting for people wanting to focus. Finally, hearables may become a public privacy issue as they can be used to eavesdrop or record public and private conversations.

Implications of hearables and earables

Wider implications of hearables and earables may include:

• People tailoring their learning programs or interests through devices that can curate podcasts and other audio formats.
• Their use as universal translators allowing travelers and business people to more easily engage with people who speak a foreign language. 
• Potential integrations with media streaming services where media is integrated with hearables to enhance the audio experience or even replace voice dubbing. 
• The creation of new mobile games designed around the functionality of hearables.
• Students using hearables as a support device for in-school lessons or as a guide while completing homework and research.
• The travel industry developing a “tour guide hearable” that can provide additional site information and translate languages as needed.
• Healthcare organizations using hearables to monitor patients remotely.
• Privacy concerns and cybertheft increasing for the data collected by hearables (such as identifying voices and recording and storing sensitive data).

Questions to consider

• What possible challenges could society face with the increased use of hearables or earables?
• What are the other potential benefits or risks of hearables?