Tech

Which Companies Produce the best Nano Hearing Aids?

Published

5 years ago

May 10, 2020

When Nano hearing aids was founded by Robert Carlson, it was not long before the company became well-known for its hearing aid quality and affordability. Nano hearing aids has influenced the hearing aid market to such an extent that the name has been adopted by most people searching online for “digital hearing aids”. Today it is a major donor to veterans and one of the leaders in US-based R&D that leads to better hearing aids.

For Carlson, the challenge to produce an affordable hearing aid arose from his grandmother’s need to replace a lost hearing aid, but at $2,500 for one, it was beyond what she could afford. World-class engineers were consulted, resulting in top-quality digital hearing aids manufactured in Minnesota, U.S.A.

At a fraction of the cost of other traditional hearing aids, Nano hearing aids are medical grade with the latest digital nano-microchip technology. They helped the industry evolve from conventional hearing aids to some of the most trendy Bluetooth devices on the market today.

Nano hearing aids were released to the public online and before long their name became synonymous with all hearing aid brands. Their popularity stems from their affordable prices, high sound quality, and ease of online purchasing. without the complications of needing hearing prescriptions.

The top 10 list of hearing aids for 2020

Nanohearingaids.com

Nano hearing aids have reduced the search time for affordable hearing aids. On the Nano hearing aid website, the consumer has the choice of two types of devices, behind-the-ear and completely-inside-the-canal, and various models that cover all levels of age-related hearing loss.

All Nano digital hearing aids have the same technology as expensive hearing aid brands, yet the hearing devices have various sound and environmental settings that can be self-adjusted.

All models are popular because they are discreet, and their prices include hearing devices for both ears. They guarantee a snug fit and are delivered with many earbud size options. For those that don’t want to struggle with batteries, there are two types of rechargeable digital hearing aids.

Widex

Widex hearing aids cannot be bought online and an appointment must be made with a representative. They offer advanced technology and can only be programmed by an audiologist or remotely.

Eargo

Eargo.com sells its hearing aids directly to the consumer. There are three rechargeable models of completely-in-the-ear digital hearing aids. They don’t need to be pre-programmed, but the user can program them through an app or reach out for help from their hearing specialists.

ReSound

ReSound is a technologically advanced company with many years of providing hearing aids. These are only available from representatives, and on some models fine tuning can be made through their app.

Phonak

Phonak has seven digital haring aid devices in its range. These hearing aids can be purchased from representative sellers and are not available online. They can only be programmed remotely or by an audiologist.

Embrace Hearing

Embrace Hearing sells their hearing aids online, but the devices need to be pre-programmed by them from uploaded audiologist results. Even though these hearing aids are affordable, they are priced per hearing aid.

Starkey

Starkey has assistive features that can connect to a licensed audiologist to tune them remotely. However, these cannot be purchased online and are sold through a network of authorized dealers, after a scheduled appointment.

Audicius.com

Audicius sells digital hearing aids online. These online models are affordable but are priced per hearing aid. All Audicius hearing aids must first be programmed by audiologists before they are purchased and the consumer must upload the results of their audiogram.

LifeEar

LifeEar.com is the website of LifeEar selling directly to the consumer. These affordable digital hearing aids have modern features and sound adjustments can be made at home.

Costco

Costco hearing aids is largely known because it has walk-in centers. It may not be top of the range, but it is affordable too.

Not on the list, but starting to get known:

MDHearing

MDHearing Aids can be purchased online and they have analog and digital hearing aid models. The hearing aids are not preprogrammed, but for those that don’t want to program them alone, they do offer recommendations from their licensed audiologists.

Why consumer reviews are important?

Consumers rely heavily on reviews from other buyers before deciding on hearing aid purchases. Even though affordability is important, what most consumers are looking for is if they can trust the company to adhere to its money-back guarantees and if the quality and reliability of the hearing aids are as promised.

Unfortunately, many companies rely on fake reviews, and consumers need to be wary of these because they are misleading. Fake reviews may lead to them buying affordable hearing aids, but lacking in quality and effectiveness. Many companies use targeted review campaigns to falsely lead consumers looking to buy hearing aids. These are often generated by computers and consumers need to be especially wary of generic names and sudden spikes in reviews.

Nano hearing aids have caused a stir in the hearing aid market and more people with hearing loss now have an affordable choice of turning their social life around once more.

Tech

AI in Placemaking: How ERA-co is Using Smarter Data to Build Better Cities

Published

3 weeks ago

September 23, 2025

Jonathan Grilli

ERA-co is exploring new ways to apply AI in urban design, utilizing data-driven tools to support more thoughtful and responsive placemaking. Rather than replacing human insight, the firm sees artificial intelligence as a partner — one that can enhance how designers understand and shape the spaces where people live, move, and connect.

This approach isn’t about flashy tech or fully automated cities. It’s about asking better questions, revealing patterns we might otherwise miss, and using that knowledge to make decisions rooted in real-world behavior. For ERA-co, AI becomes most valuable when it helps clarify how a city works, layer by layer, so design teams can create places that are not only efficient but also livable and meaningful.

Understanding complexity before optimization

Before talking about smart tools or predictions, ERA-co begins with a foundational question: “What kind of problem is a city?” Nicolas Palominos, Head of Urban Design and Strategy R&D at ERA-co, references the work of Jane Jacobs to frame this.

“As Jacobs reminds us, cities exhibit complex system behavior, where multiple elements vary simultaneously, in subtle interconnected ways,” Palominos explains. “AI can augment our understanding of these parameters to design better places with optimized social benefit.”

According to Palominos, that kind of social benefit can take many forms. It might involve modeling a housing system that supports proximity-based living, such as the concept of the “15-minute city,” or applying predictive analytics to anticipate and respond to events like floods, heatwaves, or infrastructure failures.

ERA-co doesn’t use AI to chase efficiency for its own sake. Instead, the firm uses it to gain a more comprehensive understanding and a clearer picture of a place’s behavior.

Data that matches people, not just places

Not all data is created equal. When it comes to placemaking, ERA-co prioritizes what Palominos calls “spatial and temporal granularity,” which entails not only examining how a space functions on a map but also understanding how people interact with it over time — from hour to hour, and season to season.

“The most valuable data are those with the greatest spatial and temporal granularity for observing people and urban environments,” Palominos says. “Video footage, mobile data, street view imagery, and satellite imagery enable a deeper understanding of how different groups of people perceive and use public space.”

One recent ERA-co proof-of-concept used AI to assess how people visually perceive streetscapes, analyzing elements like enclosure, complexity, and human scale. These insights informed more nuanced design strategies that align with local behaviors, not just abstract zoning plans.

This level of detail matters because even small design shifts can have ripple effects on how people move, feel, and gather. With AI, ERA-co isn’t just tracking patterns but learning from them.

ERA-co’s AI mobility work: Subtle shifts, broader benefits

Some of the clearest applications of AI can be seen in mobility — how people and goods move through cities. It’s here that ERA-co sees measurable gains in both function and experience.

“AI-driven fleet optimization balances supply and demand in bus services and bike-share systems,” Palominos says. “On the consumer side, it streamlines courier and delivery services through route optimization.”

These systems don’t operate in isolation. When they’re better coordinated, they can relieve pressure on road networks, reduce congestion, and lower energy use. But what makes ERA-co’s approach different is that it doesn’t stop at logistics. It examines how those systems impact the daily lives of people who live in and move through a place.

The limits of AI and the role of design judgment

As much as AI can help us see more, ERA-co is careful not to let it make the final call. Cities are more than just systems — they’re layered with memory, identity, and human connection. And not everything meaningful can be measured.

“There have been cases where AI insights pointed us in one direction, but human judgment and cultural understanding led us another way,” Palominos notes.

Sometimes a place functions well on paper, but feels hollow in practice. Other times, a community gathering space might disrupt traffic flow, yet provide invaluable support for social well-being.

This is where design intuition becomes critical. ERA-co uses AI to inform, not dictate, the design process.

Planning for a future in flux

Looking ahead, ERA-co sees AI playing a growing role in helping cities adapt — not just to top physical threats like climate change, but also to slower, less visible shifts in how people live and connect.

“AI will amplify our understanding of how cities function through enhanced spatial representation and analysis, informing better human decision-making,” Palominos says. He references recent findings (like an MIT study showing people walk faster and linger less in public spaces) as examples of trends that would have been hard to anticipate without AI.

Still, the goal isn’t to automate responses to those behaviors. It’s using those insights to reimagine what kinds of public spaces people may need in the future, especially as patterns of connection and isolation shift.