Last Wednesday (22), Amazon announced a software update. It allows people with some form of hearing impairment to record the sound of their Amazon smart TV directly into their hearing implants. From the Cochlear brand via Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) open source protocol.
The result of a partnership between the Seattle giant and North American hearing aid company Starkey, this innovation could potentially benefit approximately 430 million people worldwide currently live with some form of hearing lossAccording to WHO.
The new feature is now available for Fire TV Omni Series, Fire TV Omni QLED Series, Fire TV 4-Series, 2nd Generation Fire TV Cube and 3rd Generation Fire TV Cube devices. This feature works with the Cochlear Nucleus 8, Nucleus 7, Nucleus Kanso 2 and Baha 6 Max sound processors.
Impact on quality of life
Amazon’s blog post highlights software engineer Michael Forzano’s involvement in the project. While not the author of the new technology, the deaf professional has spent the last ten years developing accessibility features. It was one of the first to test the feature from Amazon and Cochlear. in the months prior to launch.
According to Amazon, Forzano avoided watching television because “40 to 50% of words lost due to echo and poor sound quality”. He says that when he paired his hearing implant with the Fire TV, he experienced a real impact on his quality of life. “I am so excited for the world that will open up to me,” he said.
According to Amazon, the new accessibility feature will give Cochlear users a more convenient way to watch their favorite movies and TV shows, as well as use Alexa, listen to music and hear navigation alerts.
The newest member of the Fire TV Stick family, now with 4K Ultra HD resolution and Alexa built-in. It leaves your television with a more fluid interface and much more content possibilities.
Source: Tec Mundo
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