Meta Smart Glasses to Get FDA-Cleared OTC Hearing Aid Feature

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a screenshot from Meta Connect. Later this year, Meta plans to turn some of its smart glasses into FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aids with a $149.99 software upgrade. Announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at Meta Connect, Hearing Enhancement will personalize amplification for U.S. adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. That is a change from Conversation Focus , the speech-boosting feature HearingTracker previously reported on and tested through HearAdvisor . Conversation Focus amplifies the person in front of the wearer, particularly in noisy settings. Although HearingAdvisor’s lab testing found that it could provide useful hearing help, Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses with that feature were not marketed as hearing aids and did not tailor amplification to an individual hearing loss profile. The new Hearing Enhancement feature is intended specifically for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss . Zuckerberg said users will complete a guided hearing test in the app, after which the glasses will adjust amplification to their results. “So, one question that we have been a little obsessed with is what if the glasses gave you the superpower to hear what is going on around you better?” said Zuckerberg at Meta Connect. “…Now I am really proud that we are releasing something that goes much further \[than Conversation Focus\]: Hearing Enhancement turns your glasses into an FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aid that can compensate for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. And, as we tested this out, it became really clear that this had the potential to be life-changing for a lot of people. So, we want to share one of those stories today.” Zuckerberg then showed a video featuring fashion designer Lindsay Jones, who described the gradual hearing loss in her left ear and how background noise causes her to miss parts of conversations. Jones said the feature helped her hear a friend’s story and feel more present with her children. *So,