The Future of Hearing Protection: Smart Headsets and Technology-Driven Noise Reduction

According to the National Library of Medicine, over 600 million workers are exposed to noise levels high enough to cause irreversible hearing loss. With these startling statistics in mind, awareness and concern about hearing health and hearing conservation continue to grow.

Meanwhile, traditional earplugs and hearing protection often lack effective noise-canceling technology and prevent situational awareness while on the job. That’s where smart headsets and technology-enhanced hearing protection solutions come in.

The Challenge of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss is the most common occupational disease in the world today, according to a recent Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine study. Noise-induced hearing loss is damaging to businesses and workers alike, and the indirect costs of occupational hearing loss are more than $980 Billion globally in annual workers’ compensation payments while making it harder to both work and perform daily tasks with reduced hearing. Workers who struggle with hearing loss are less productive and effective, which is why digital hearing protection and speech enhancement technology are so important.

Limitations of Traditional Hearing Protection

Traditional hearing protection in the workplace has largely been ineffective. Many earplugs were either one-time use (and expensive) or uncomfortable to use, leading to inconsistent usage. They can also be less effective in overall noise reduction. 

Earmuffs, on the other hand, do a good job of blocking sound, but they block so much sound that communication is rendered difficult to impossible. Poor fit, lack of comfort, and an unpleasant user experience likely led to a lot of the occupational hearing loss workers now suffer, which is why a smarter option has long been desired.

The goal of many louder workplaces today, then, is to balance hearing protection with situational awareness and solid communication.

The Rise of Smart Headsets and Advanced Noise Reduction and Communication

The good news is that smart headsets, smart earplugs, adaptive noise cancelation, and other recent technologies make it easier than ever to reduce noise while maintaining communication in the workplace.

There are two great options for smart occupational hearing protection: smart earplugs and smart earmuffs.

1. Smart Earplugs:

Featuring active noise control (ANC) and SENS^® (Speech Enhancement with Noise Suppression) Technology, smart earplugs are an advanced in-ear solution that integrates with two-way radios and Bluetooth® devices for outstanding connectivity even in the noisiest environments.

2. Smart Earmuffs:

Smart earmuffs cover the entire ear and deliver occupational hearing protection, enhanced speech communication, and 360° situational alertness by enhancing speech and suppressing background noise.

Adaptive Noise Cancellation and Electronic Sound Attenuation

These are two great terms to know when it comes to hearing protection and noise suppression.

1. Adaptive noise cancellation is a smart technology that analyzes background noise and counteracts the noise with a sound wave. In the workplace, headphones or headsets that automatically adjust to surrounding sounds are often employed, filtering out the noises you don’t want to hear while maintaining the conversation you need to hear.

2. Electronic sound attenuation broadly refers to the process of reducing sound electronically, and it can incorporate adaptive noise cancelation.

Integration with Mobile Apps and Connectivity

Thanks to upgraded technology, smart headsets and other communication devices with adaptive noise cancelation can integrate with mobile apps, allowing users to customize levels of noise cancelation and switch between different modes. This level of connectivity is unprecedented and allows for variation based on the environment.

Benefits of Smart Hearing Protection Technology

Electronic hearing protection offers significant benefits, including:

1. Improved Noise Reduction and Hearing Preservation:

   Intrinsically safe headsets from Sensear meet and exceed all hearing protection industry certifications. Sensear certifies maximum output in the ear of 82 dB(A) in noise up to 105 dB(A) and for Extreme Noise Dual Protection-model headsets up to 120 dB(A). When noise levels are mitigated, hearing protection is a natural benefit.

2. Enhanced 360° Situational Awareness and Communication:

   The latest digital hearing technology provides 360° situational awareness through SENS^® Technology that gives users complete awareness of what is happening around them and enables more productive and effective workplace environments.

1. Integration with Two-way Radios for Enhanced Communication:

   Workplaces can easily integrate electronic ear protection with two-way radios and other on-the-job technology for a seamless user experience that promotes clear communication.

Smart Headsets for Hazardous and High-Noise Environments

Today’s smart headsets are designed for hazardous and high-noise environments so that workers can maintain hearing protection and 360° situational awareness simultaneously. Sensear’s best-in-class digital headsets feature:

1. Intrinsically safe designs for explosive and flammable settings: Hazardous location headsets are available in headband, behind-the-neck, and helmet-mounted designs that offer ergonomic options in challenging environments.

2. Dual protection with integrated earplugs and earmuffs: Ideal for high-noise industries such as mining, oil and gas, and data centers, dual hearing protection – also known as double hearing protection – integrates smart earplugs and earmuffs to reduce noise in environments exceeding 110 dB(A) while adding SENS^® Technology for situational awareness.

1. Ensuring clear communication and 360° situational awareness: All of Sensear’s smart headsets allow for 360° situational awareness and clear communication while reducing dangerous background noise.

Real-World Applications and Use Cases

Sensear partners with industries and organizations across the globe to deliver ultimate occupational hearing protection.

1. Industrial Workers

   Hearing loss is the chief occupational illness in manufacturing today, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Sensear’s smart headsets and active noise control technology help industrial employees around the world work safer and smarter.

   With heavy machines, equipment, and other noisy operations, industrial work is inherently loud. Sensear’s noise-cancelling headsets reduce high-noise levels to safer decibel dB(A) levels to protect manufacturing while providing workers with 360° situational awareness of their environment. The U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) requires manufacturing industry employers to provide hearing protection to their employees when noise exposure equals or exceeds an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 dB(A) or more.

1. Oil and Gas

   From high-pressure lines to machine hazards and more, the potential for injuries on the job is high – as are noise levels – in the oil and gas industry. Oil and gas development, including drilling, hydraulic fracturing, completion, and production, create noisy and sometimes dangerous environments for workers.

   Sensear’s smart headsets allow workers in this industry to have seamless conversations and maintain ongoing communication while protecting their hearing with high-quality, intrinsically safe, noise-suppression headsets.

1. Mining

   Mining is a loud industry, to say the least: 1 out of 4 mine workers has a hearing problem, and 4 out of 5 mine workers have a hearing impairment when they reach their mid-60s, according to the CDC. In fact, more than 75% of mine workers are exposed to hazardous noise, the highest prevalence of all major industries across the globe.

   Noise-induced hearing loss can create a serious safety hazard when mine workers are unable to hear moving machinery and warnings. Sensear’s high-noise canceling headsets are critical to mitigating the serious risk of hearing loss in mining, providing protection and clear communications between operators inside vehicles, throughout the worksite, and even for off-site personnel.

1. Data Centers

   A newer noise hazard, data centers feature large servers, network switches, routers, air conditioning equipment, and other loud equipment that can hamper communications and create a hazardous working environment. Traditional hearing protection has made it hard for workers to communicate, which is why Sensear comes in.

   Sensear’s headsets, powered by groundbreaking technology that elevates speech and suppresses dangerous background noise, enables data center workers to communicate clearly both onsite and remotely thanks to the feature-rich noise-cancelling microphone and enjoy improved workplace safety.

The Future of Hearing Technology

As hearing technology continues to progress, smart workplaces will enjoy further groundbreaking advancements in materials, sensors, and algorithms that will continue to benefit the industry. For instance, algorithms can analyze large sets of hearing-related data to identify workplace safety trends and use that data to update practices and regulations. New materials will also continue to make smart earplugs and headsets more and more comfortable.

Machine learning is taking the hearing protection industry further by customizing settings for individual users to create more personalized options for ear protection and full awareness. Likewise, smart hearing technology can be integrated with other wearable technologies such as smart watches as well as the Internet of Things (IoT) to support enhanced health monitoring, seamless integration with other smart systems, and even more personalized settings and notifications.

Discover the Power of Smart Hearing Protection for Enhanced Saftey and Communication

Greater accessibility and affordability are making smart headsets and earplugs essential for enhancing situational awareness in both work and everyday life.  As awareness grows, adoption of these transformative tools will boost safety and communication. Connect with a Sensear High-Noise Specialist today to find the best smart hearing solutions for your business needs.