Livio AI hearing aid has built-in activity tracking and wireless accessories

Starkey Hearing has unveiled the world's first hearing aid featuring artificial intelligence and built-in activity tracking. Called Livio AI, the model assists individuals with hearing loss while also offering some of the same features found on existing wearable technology. Among other things, the hearing aid provides direct access to Amazon Alexa when used with one of its accessories.

Livio AI is a "multi-purpose hearing aid," according to Starkey Hearing, which has packed sensors for activity tracking into its new model. The maker claims that its technology offers an average 50-percent reduction of sounds when used in noisy environments while delivering clear speech. This reduces strain on the user, resulting in a more comfortable experience.

The hearing aid works with the new Thrive Hearing mobile app; it can also be used with three optional wireless accessories — the Starkey Hearing Technologies TV, a Remote, and a Remote with a microphone.

Collected activity data can be viewed using the Google Fit and Apple Health apps; an overall health score is also presented as the Thrive Wellness Score. As far as hearing support goes, a user's hearing professional can remotely program the hearing aid with the correct settings. Users can also manually adjust the sound.

Other features include built-in language translation, tap control, dual-radio wireless for streaming audio from phones and TVs, near-field magnetic induction technology, and fall detection. The hearing aid is available in the US and Canada now and will launch globally next year.

SOURCE: Global Newswire