A novel and very practical use for an iPhone as an auxiliary hearing aid has been developed. The soundAMP program takes control of the iPhone, and essentially uses the in-built microphone to boost ambient noise levels.

Its quite smart, and the user can specify which frequencies and direction to boost, so you can hear a quiet presenter speaking and miss the luvvy-duvvy conversation from someone sitting two rows over.

The controls are simple and intuitive touchscreen sliders, and the entire application is only 10 usd. Of course it is nowhere near as good as a dedicated hearing aid, but that's not really the point. This could be considered as a noise filter and booster to be used in conjunction with a hearing aid.

Perhaps much more importantly, it elevates the iPhone as an assisted living device, and potential sensory enhancer for the general population. This kind of integration is of course essential if smartphones are to become leading devices in a mainstream sensor web - or even if such a web forms at all. Where one medical/sensory app pioneers, others will soon follow.

References

SoundAMP

Apple iPhone to Replace Your Hearing Aids?