There are some great and simple devices that help me be more successful as a person with single sided deafness. I am going to share some of my favorites here.

I know it is simple but it really helps. I struggled with sleeping through my alarm after I lost my hearing- all it takes is my hearing ear on the pillow and I miss that wake up ring. I use my watch for literally all notifications of any kind. As I run a family business, it is often important I not miss a phone call. A smart watch also ties in with another great option I will get into next.

I don’t find I need any fancy features. The one I use is this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08H78J3K3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Live Transcribe is a handy way to be able to caption conversations on the go. You turn it on and it transcribes any speech it hears into text. I have used this in echoing convention halls and found it super helpful. My favorite part is that you can also set it up to listen for specific sounds like babies crying, fire alarms, door bells, water running, etc. Live Transcribe will notify you of the sounds by making your smart watch vibrate. As someone who has slept through a fire alarm going off, this feature is awesome for peace of mind.

Live Transcribe is free on Android and a version exists on Apple also.

Xrai Glass works like Live Transcribe by captioning people as they talk. It has the option to be used on just your phone. However it has some neat upgrades, such as wearing AR glasses so the transcriptions appear where you are looking- much more like how tv is captioned than looking down at your phone. They also have some great functionality with saving conversations and virtual assistants, as well as translating across languages.

the glasses I use are these which are purchased separately from the Xrai Glass software. The software Xrai Glass has different payment levels. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BF5LKP5Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bone conduction headphones don’t go inside your ears but instead sit slightly above the ears against your temple. They work by sending sound vibrations though the skull to the ear. I love my bone conduction headphones because I can wear them and still be able to interact with people around me or hear traffic as I am cycling. I also find I just really hate having something blocking the sound in my remaining ear. They are super comfortable. I like them so much I also needed a bone conduction phone headset.

The ones I use: https://www.amazon.com/Shokz-OpenRun-Conduction-Headphones-Built/dp/B09BW1QVVT/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3N6QSOSD33Z6G&keywords=aftershokz&qid=1692302612&s=electronics&sprefix=aftershokz%2Celectronics%2C89&sr=1-1-spons&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

I spend a lot of my day on the phone at work and before I became single sided deaf I would often have staff ask questions while I handled a call. Having a bone conduction headset has given me a little bit of that back, and I at least realize someone has walked into the room, instead of missing everything around me while on the phone.

My headset: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DW2SJCQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ear plugs and noise canceling headphones are excellent tools. I definitely want to make sure I keep my remaining hearing intact, so I am careful to wear something in a loud environment. They also can be helpful for downsizing background noise and helping you have the ability to hear conversation you want, rather than general noise hub bub. Also, when you are single sided deaf you often have sound sensitivity (called hyperacusis) or just get more tired listening. I find when my kids are getting loud in the car that wearing some ear plugs can really save me from discomfort.

My favorite ear plugs: https://www.amazon.com/Loop-Experience-Noise-Reduction-Plugs/dp/B08TCH3HSR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KLEBGBC7U7Z7&keywords=loo%5B%2Bexperience&qid=1692302718&sprefix=loo%2Bexperience%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-1&th=1

I loved this simple option for being able to stick in my pocket and do housework and know that I wouldn’t miss the baby crying. It also lights up so when I wake at night wondering if I hear the baby or not, I can just look to see if the baby is indeed crying or not.

My favorite monitor: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E1CIGAE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I would love to hear about any tech that has helped you navigate life with single sided deafness.