Have you ever been to a dinner or family gathering where you can’t quite hear the person speaking to you from across the table? You can only ask them to repeat themselves so many times. EssilorLuxottica — the parent company of Ray Ban — thinks it has found a solution: glasses that help you hear. The glasses have speakers by the ears that elevate the sound coming from any direction you look. When looking at the person across the table from you, the device can sense who you’re speaking to and make it easier to stay connected in crowded spaces. Called the OTC Nuance Audio Glasses, the company received FDA approval earlier this week and plans to make the product available in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2025. Today, about 1 in 8 people in the U.S. over 12 years old has hearing loss in both ears. Still, only 16% of adults ages 20-69 and 30% of adults 70 and over with hearing loss use hearing aids. With a slogan of “See more. Be more,” the company’s goal is to combine tech that improves vision — and now hearing. The glasses can be prescription but don’t have to be, and were designed with both the goals of working well and looking nice.
