Regarding the new hearing test and hearing aid function, Apple has also established its own research laboratory. The “Apple Audio Lab” has several chambers that can represent different acoustic scenarios and are completely sound-free. The iPhone company showed it to US broadcaster ABC on his morning show,
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simulation of sound scenarios
The system is well hidden in an office park outside Apple’s headquarters – in Cupertino – and is said to have been in place for years. Apple’s original idea for this feature was that there are many people who suffer from hearing loss but do nothing about it. According to hardware boss John Ternes, the AirPods Pro 2 are a “super light, simple solution” with the appropriate firmware updates. Many of the staff involved were very personally committed.
In the “Fantasia” sub-laboratory, speakers have been installed that can recreate “hundreds of scenarios” – from understanding a conversation at a restaurant to a loud concert. According to Apple, hearing aid and hearing protection functions have been validated here. There were hundreds of test subjects who went through dozens of tests. The soundproof chamber (longwave chamber) has its own foundation so that no vibration can penetrate. It is “one of the quietest places on the planet.”
Hearing test “big success”
Apple emphasizes the importance of the third feature: the automatic listening test. This determines what frequencies the AirPods Pro need to boost and how severe the hearing loss already is. Apple’s medical director Sumbul Desai calls the system a “major breakthrough”; Such testing was previously available only in one clinic. In the United States, 75 percent of people with hearing loss don’t get the help they need, Desai said.
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A tour of Apple’s audio lab (Video: ABC).
Testing conducted by colleagues from C’t magazine showed that the function works quite adequately. As the author’s mother-in-law, who is hard of hearing, pointed out, AirPods definitely help her in some awkward conversation situations. They were also suitable for improving playback on an iPhone or iPad or when watching TV with Apple TV. As a supplement or aid in case of rapid hearing loss, the AirPods Pro 2 are a good bridge, as permanent hearing aids are significantly more expensive.
(B.Sc.)
