According to an article in the Guardian, Apple's Airpods (RTM) can be used as hearing aids. And not just as a gimmick, but clinically approved hearing aids with FDA approval! For those with mild to moderate hearing loss, a clinical grade hearing aid system can be acquired for the price of a pair of high-end ear buds, rather than potentially thousand's of pounds on a traditional hearing aid.
The technology is relatively simple. The health app runs a hearing test through the earbuds and generates an audiogram of your hearing defects. This is then used to program the ear buds to act as a hearing aid.
The interesting point is that the technology is anything but revolutionary and the issue has been regulatory approval, preventing Apple from entering the market for several years. Which goes to show that there are many barriers to entry for medical devices.
Marks & Clerk has a dedicated Medtech team that can help Innovators in the Medtech space navigate the various barriers to entry including IP issues.
Apple's new AirPods will make America hear again, but no thanks to the regulator
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