Apps are available to enable a smartphone to perform like a generic hearing aid. These apps promote the audibility of sound by amplifying it and directing it to the headphones. Some apps contain programming features that allow the user to alter the sound and filter out unwanted noises. Below are a few examples of these applications:
BioAid by Nicholas Clark
The BioAid app was developed by a team of researchers at the University of Essex. It features 6 fixed programming profiles that are based upon the most common types of hearing loss. The user selects the profile that best reflects their hearing loss and then chooses one of 4 programming options to fine tune the settings. BioAid is currently available for Apple products. It is free of charge and can be found here.
hearing help by IND
The hearing help app features a 16 band frequency equalizer, a noise filter, and dynamic compression. While the programming options may take a little bit of time to figure out, hearing help can be used to increase the volume level, reduce surrounding noise, and promote the audibility of higher frequencies. It costs $4.99 and can be found here.
EasyHearingAid by Link Advance&Innovation
The EasyHearingAid app can be used to amplify sound and enable others to experience a specific hearing loss. It features 13 channel sliders that can adjust the volume of select frequencies. The settings of the app can also be changed to help someone with normal hearing experience how hearing loss sounds. EasyHearingAid is $0.99 and can be found here.