This keynote presents the scientific vision and technological milestones of Meta’s Reality Labs Research Audio program, detailing how AI-driven Augmented Hearing is set to fundamentally transform audiological practice and the standard of care for individuals with hearing difficulties. The program’s mission is to redefine human hearing—moving beyond restoration to transcend the limitations of unaided listening and unlock new perceptual capabilities using psychoacoustics, signal processing, and machine learning.
The talk will show how AI-powered smart wearables are creating a paradigm shift, delivering continuous, contextual, and non-stigmatic hearing intervention via everyday devices. Key methods include Augmented Hearing signal processing, which uses directional microphone arrays and AI-based speech enhancement to amplify a targeted voice in noisy environments. Furthermore, the presentation will explore how large language models and AI tools can reshape hearing healthcare, from candidacy and onboarding to real-time assessments and interventions.
Results demonstrate measurable improvements in speech intelligibility and listening effort, even for people with normal hearing, illustrating the dissolution of the boundary between consumer audio technology and clinical hearing. The convergence of AI, wearables, and hearing science demands proactive engagement from audiologists. These tools will amplify, not displace, clinical expertise, enabling more precise, personalized, and scalable hearing care. The audiology community is invited to engage as architects of this clinical transformation.
Learning Objectives:
- Attendees will be able to explain how AI-driven Augmented Hearing, delivered through smart wearables, may transform audiological practice and the standard of care by moving beyond restoration to unlock new perceptual capabilities for improving hearing.
- Attendees will recognize the imperative for audiologists to proactively engage with the convergence of AI, wearable technology, and hearing science, positioning themselves as architects of the clinical application of these tools for delivering more precise, personalized, and scalable hearing care.
