Hearables in Hearing Care: Discovering Usage Patterns Through IoT Devices

Abstract

Hearables are on the rise as next generation wearables, capable of streaming audio, modifying soundscapes or functioning as biometric sensors. The recent introduction of IoT (Internet of things) connected hearing instruments offer new opportunities for hearables to collect behavioral data that capture device usage and user intents and thereby provide insights to adjust the settings of the device. In our study 6 participants shared their volume and interaction data capturing when they remotely changed their device settings over eight weeks. The data confirms that the participants preferred to actively change programs rather than use a single default setting provided by an audiologist. Furthermore, their unique usage patterns indicate a need for designing hearing instruments, which as hearables adapt their settings dynamically to individual preferences during the day.

Publication
Presented at International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction
Date
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