Predictions for 2031: Thomas Behrens: All-sensing, emancipating devices

Thomas Behrens is well placed to predict too. As a leader at Oticon, he has the power to shape at least part of the future hearing panorama. While his vision, like many others we have featured, depends heavily on technological developments, he also sees a key role for person-centred care, of which his company is also a major proponent.

Thomas Behrens, Oticon’s Chief Audiologist and Senior Director of Centre for Applied Audiology Research

In 2031, hearing care will be about devices that seamlessly sense what happens in the surroundings of the user, while simultaneously sensing their intentions and the cognitive load they are experiencing.

Future hearing aids will automatically adapt all core functionality to provide the user with as much detail as possible with as high clarity as possible from the surroundings, allowing them to perceive and understand the full sound scene with minimal cognitive load.

By ensuring hearing aids support brain processes for making sense of sound in the best way possible, we can free up residual cognitive capacity for reflecting and responding in conversations and ultimately, help the user to engage and live an active social life. The future of hearing support will focus on overcoming hearing loss with person-centered hearing care journeys which are led by highly qualified hearing care professionals.

Source: Audiology Worldnews EUHA special 2021