In this age of the Internet of Things (IoT), wearables are now everywhere, eventually reaching our ear canals. The research team from the “NSERC-EERS Industrial Research Chair in In-Ear Technologies (CRITIAS)” led by Professor Jérémie Voix has been actively developing various in-ear technologies designed to complement the human ear: from “smart” hearing protection against industrial noise, to advanced communication systems, to hearing health monitoring devices using otoacoustic emission to in-ear Brain Computer Interface. In addition, more fundamental research has been conducted, namely, the micro-harvesting of electrical energy from inside the ear canal to power future auditory wearables. Recent research and developments, from CRITIAS and labs around the world, are presented to the Speech-Language & Audiology Canada community and may encourage a different view on the human ear and modern hearing protection!
Learning Objectives
- Identify the available types of hearing protection devices and describe their respective advantages and disadvantages.
- Explain the benefits of digital hearing protectors and evaluate the pros and cons of the various possible features for workers.
- Enumerate the various in-ear functionalities currently being developed and assess their impact in the field of audiology.
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