Varibel: Dutch-Invented "Hearing-Glasses"

Filed in archive Treatment on April 12, 2006

Varibel is a new kind of hearing aid in the form of a pair of glasses. These new "hearing-glasses" will offer older people the chance to stay active longer without the hassles of a traditional hearing aid.

TU Delft developed the product together with Philips, Frame Holland, the design agencies MMID and Verhoeven, and others which will be available for purchase in mid-April at Beter Horen audio shops.

The Varibel cannot be compared to traditional hearing aids. In each leg of the glass' frame there is a row of four tiny, interconnected microphones, which selectively intensify the sounds that come from the front, while dampening the surrounding noise. With this solution, the user can separate the desired sounds from the undesired background noise.

Natural sounds can still be heard with Varibel which allows people to hear naturally and clearly.

News and Photo Source: TU Delft