{"id":1683,"date":"2021-03-24T12:35:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T17:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.fm1.dev\/?p=1683"},"modified":"2022-05-24T13:25:24","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T18:25:24","slug":"6-smartphone-apps-to-help-boost-your-communication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/6-smartphone-apps-to-help-boost-your-communication\/","title":{"rendered":"6 SMARTPHONE APPS TO HELP BOOST YOUR COMMUNICATION"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/SoundBytes2021_Q1_Mar02-850x400-1.png\" alt=\"Illustration of people adding app blocks to a larger than life smartphone\" title=\"6 Smartphone Apps to Help Boost Your Communication\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to feel even more connected to the world around you through the power of sound? There\u2019s an app for that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Actually, we\u2019ve compiled a list of six apps that can help support your communication wellness.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>1.\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.google.audio.hearing.visualization.accessibility.scribe&amp;hl=en_US&amp;gl=US\" target=\"_blank\">LIVE TRANSCRIBE<\/a> This Google app for\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.android.com\/accessibility\/live-transcribe\/\" target=\"_blank\">Android<\/a>-powered smartphones doesn\u2019t translate but does transcribe in-person conversations in real time. The program \u2014 developed with Gallaudet University, the renowned U.S. school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students \u2014 can turn speech from more than 70 languages and dialects into text on your phone\u2019s screen in a matter of seconds, facilitating communication with quick, helpful captions. It even supports bilingual chats, letting you toggle between languages, and allows you to type your responses rather than speak them if so desired. Bonus: The app can also notify you of important sounds \u2014 the beep of a smoke alarm, for example \u2014 in your home.<\/li><li>2.\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/niosh-sound-level-meter\/id1096545820\" target=\"_blank\">NIOSH SOUND LEVEL METER<\/a> Though it can\u2019t replace professional instruments or expert opinion, this app uses your compatible mobile device\u2019s built-in microphone to measure the sound level in your environment. On a global scale, some researchers estimate that\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/journals.lww.com\/joem\/FullText\/2017\/01000\/Prevalence_of_Hazardous_Occupational_Noise.15\" target=\"_blank\">16 to 24 percent<\/a>\u00a0of hearing loss is associated with occupational noise. Excess noise is one of the most preventable causes of hearing loss, making it important to know the sound levels where you potentially spend a lot of time \u2014 at work \u2014 so you can curb your risk. The app can also help approximate noise at stores, restaurants, or anywhere else you may need to protect your hearing.<\/li><li>3.\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/makeabilitylab.cs.washington.edu\/project\/soundwatch\/?_ga=2.130573903.1705060111.1608061103-237194813.1608061103\" target=\"_blank\">SOUNDWATCH<\/a> How does artificial intelligence right at your wrist sound? This exciting smartwatch-based application can alert you to the sounds around you, making daily life even easier. The application, developed especially for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, uses machine learning to alert the user to certain types of sounds they can preselect \u2014 a car honk, a cat\u2019s meow, a baby cry, or running water, for example. It\u2019s not for emergencies or other high-risk situations but could help enhance general awareness of your environment.<\/li><li>4.\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marleematlin.net\/app\/\" target=\"_blank\">MARLEE SIGNS<\/a> This app for children and adults teaches basic American Sign Language (ASL) with Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin, who is deaf. ASL, common in the U.S. and Canada, offers a way to connect with others regardless of their hearing ability but can be especially useful for those who are or have friends or loved ones who are deaf or have a severe to profound hearing loss. Other ASL-instruction apps are also available, so consider using a few different ones to explore finger-spelling, conversational signing, building vocabulary, helping babies communicate, and more.<\/li><li>5.\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.soundprint.co\/\" target=\"_blank\">SOUNDPRINT<\/a> This app takes noise measurement to a whole other level with its decibel meter coupled with the ability to upload results to the user community via a searchable database. Users can look for restaurants, gyms, subways, and other spots by categories such as \u201cquiet,\u201d \u201cmoderate,\u201d \u201cloud,\u201d or \u201cvery loud\u201d sound-level ratings. Like the NIOSH Sound Level Meter,\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.soundprint.co\/\" target=\"_blank\">SoundPrint<\/a>\u00a0doesn\u2019t replace a professional device, but it may help approximate noise levels in a given space.<\/li><li>6.\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.agxhearing.com\/AGX-Online-Hearing-Quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\">AGX\u00ae ONLINE HEARING QUIZ<\/a> OK, this one isn\u2019t an app, but it\u2019s just as convenient. The\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.agxhearing.com\/AGX-Online-Hearing-Quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\">AGX Online Hearing Quiz<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 developed with audiology experts \u2014 takes only two minutes and provides a quick snapshot of your general hearing ability based on three broad aspects: the listening environment, the different tones you can hear, and your ability to hear speech amid noise. It doesn\u2019t replace a true diagnostic hearing exam, but it will indicate if you can benefit from further testing.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>As with any app, availability, functionality, and cost can change.<\/strong>\u00a0The mobile apps listed above are free as of this writing, but compatibility with iOS- or Android- powered phones, tablets, or watches can vary per program, so be sure to read about them in the relevant online app store for more details.\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0<strong>Have questions about using apps with your hearing device? We\u2019re here to help.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/contact\/\">Contact<\/a>\u00a0our caring team today!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FIND YOUR FAVORITES<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A whole world of apps awaits, so don\u2019t hesitate to build your own list of healthy-hearing faves. Get started with these simple tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Search by keyword, developer name, app title, or product category to turn up results you may want to check out.<\/li><li>Carefully read the app description and system requirements. Some apps might also offer a demo you can preview before buying or downloading.<\/li><li>Learn what others think of the app by reading users\u2019 comments and professional reviews that may be available online.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to feel even more connected to the world around you through the power of sound? There\u2019s an app for that! Actually, we\u2019ve compiled a list of six apps that can help support your communication wellness. 1.\u00a0LIVE TRANSCRIBE This Google app for\u00a0Android-powered smartphones doesn\u2019t translate but does transcribe in-person conversations in real time. The program&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1724,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1683"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1683"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1683\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1724"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/longhornhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}