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New Aid Wearer: Software Engineer. Hack my hearing aid

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Hi,

Newbie here. My 1st hearing aid (a Kirkland Signature 6) arrives in about two weeks.

I also happen to be a veteran software engineer and an Android user. Unfortunately, I understand the Kirkland’s only work directly with Apple products. While I “can” use my Android to control the hearing aid, it requires a peripheral (PhoneClip) as well. Which is simply an inefficient, unnecessary and awkward hassle… :frowning:

I think these hearing aids run on the protocol (Bluetooth Low Energy). Is that correct? If so, BLE is in Android 4.3. So there is then absolutely no reason why it can’t run on Android directly…it is just a matter of someone (like me) developing the software. This software would allow a user to control the device from his/her ANDROID device without that (somewhat ridiculous) PhoneClip+ peripheral.

I am contacting the developer of the PhoneClip integration software too as he must know. There must a community of software developers who work on hearing aids somewhere…

Any pointers to the API documents or communities would be awesome. Thanks!!!

14 people in this conversation9 min readJump to latest

Is the Kirkland based on Resound Lync? If so, Resound is coming out with an Android version in May. When I asked my audiologist if it was just a matter of getting the firmware updated, she said no and that you have to get the new version of the aids after it is released with Android. Not sure if she is correct, just wanted to share in case it was helpful.

@M4ngo said:

Hi,

Newbie here. My 1st hearing aid (a Kirkland Signature 6) arrives in about two weeks.

two weeks!? I ordered mine on a Saturday and received them on Thursday. People are reporting getting them same day. Where are you located. I have an iPhone 6 and I did not need the Kirkland app as the built in App would have worked just fine. It is my understanding the K6 use the latest blue tooth standards. Writing your own integration would be interesting for sure but not really sure that is enough info out there.

@LouisInTexas said:

two weeks!? I ordered mine on a Saturday and received them on Thursday. People are reporting getting them same day. Where are you located. I have an iPhone 6 and I did not need the Kirkland app as the built in App would have worked just fine. It is my understanding the K6 use the latest blue tooth standards. Writing your own integration would be interesting for sure but not really sure that is enough info out there.

Its my schedule, not Costco… they said they would be there in a few days, but unfortunately, I will not be able to return for 2 weeks :wink:
The info exists - it HAS to for the developers to work. The question is “is it open source or at least open API?”
Thanks!

I went through the same thing with my Starkey Halos. Apple has a proprietary protocol that allows the hearing aids to stream music , but remote control is through . Starkey release the Android app for Samsung Galaxy S 5 & 6, as well as a couple of other phones, but not my Moto X. I downloaded Bluestacks and sideloaded the app to my phone and it works perfectly. I contacted Starkey about adding the Moto X to the list of devices, but the reply was from some pointy-head saying that they have not done the “exhaustive testing” required to certify the device (no one there ones owns one). So much for being a self-appointed beta tester. The Apple protocol in question is available to read about if you Google it. My advice would be to spoof the Play Store to allow you to download the app and sideload it. I get the impression that the same developers probably wrote the app for Resound and Starkey, based on the ignorance of the Starkey staff and the release timeline.

@M4ngo said:

Hi,

Newbie here. My 1st hearing aid (a Kirkland Signature 6) arrives in about two weeks.

I also happen to be a veteran software engineer and an Android user. Unfortunately, I understand the Kirkland’s only work directly with Apple products. While I “can” use my Android to control the hearing aid, it requires a peripheral (PhoneClip) as well. Which is simply an inefficient, unnecessary and awkward hassle… :frowning:

I think these hearing aids run on the BLE protocol (Bluetooth Low Energy). Is that correct? If so, BLE is in Android 4.3. So there is then absolutely no reason why it can’t run on Android directly…it is just a matter of someone (like me) developing the software. This software would allow a user to control the device from his/her ANDROID device without that (somewhat ridiculous) PhoneClip+ peripheral.

I am contacting the developer of the PhoneClip integration software too as he must know. There must a community of software developers who work on hearing aids somewhere…

Any pointers to the API documents or communities would be awesome. Thanks!!!

Unfortunately, I don’t think you will get anywhere with the developers, and I would be surprised if there is a community willing to talk, but if you find that let me know.

As you know doesn’t include an audio standard and it is pretty slow, but Resound/Apple have worked out a way to transport audio over BLE. It will probably get included in the BLE standard eventually, and I’m sure Resound could implement this in Android any time they want (well, subject to their contract with Apple), but for now it appears proprietary and protected.

This link is old, if you find information on this please let me know. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocols other than GATT - Stack Overflow24

FYI…I just received an updated version of Aventa that includes a firmware update for Linx, Enzo, and Linx2 for compatibility with Android OS kitkat 4.4.2-4.4.4. and Lollipop (5.0).

In reply to @LouisInTexas

@LouisInTexas said:

two weeks!? I ordered mine on a Saturday and received them on Thursday. People are reporting getting them same day. Where are you located. I have an iPhone 6 and I did not need the Kirkland app as the built in App would have worked just fine. It is my understanding the K6 use the latest blue tooth standards. Writing your own integration would be interesting for sure but not really sure that is enough info out there.

I think the waiting is a marketing ploy. There is no reason, unless you want a color that is out of stock, that there should be a wait. They aren’t programmed until you’re sitting right there. I had to wait as well… but I got mine and I LOVE them.

You don’t need the app… unless you want to save favorites, etc. The app adds additional functionality, too.

My quest is a little different. I have the Kirkland Signature 6.0 and use the iPhone 6 with them. I just got an Apple Watch but Kirkland’s App doesn’t have Apple Watch support. The Resound Smart App works with the iPhone and Apple Watch, but even though the KS6s are rebranded Resound Lynxes, the Smart App won’t connect with them. I’m wondering if I could hack the Smart App, switching one of the Resound names to KS6, but I don’t know how to figure out what name the KS6 reports when polled.

Any ideas? I’ve also put in a request with my audi to ask Kirkland about Apple Watch support.

Thanks.

Has anyone gotten anywhere with this? I see Apple has a patent on this generically: US20130045684A1 - Audio transfer using the bluetooth low energy standard - Google Patents9

I have Resound Linx2 hearing aids and a Samsung S5. I much prefer android devices and was thinking of upgrading to the S8 after it comes out soon. It sure would be nice to stream music and take calls, directly to my hearing aids with it.

Being a former hardware design engineer, I dislike proprietary companies like Apple.

Thanks for any help!

Edited

I don’t have the Costco KS6 but I have the Oticon OPN which is also made for iPhone and stream via the Apple proprietary protocol.

Oticon also has an ON app made for Android to allow OPN users to control the OPN functions from their Android phones via Bluetooth, but you still cannot stream audio to the OPN from Android phone. So Bluetooth control is doable and already done. It’s the BLE audio streaming that’s still not doable on Android yet.

Apparently there’s no BLE audio streaming standard for Android yet so that’s why the mfgs cannot support audio streaming for Android due to this lack of standard, while they do support the audio streaming from iOS 9.3 or later already. Actually I heard from somebody on this forum that the BLE audio streaming standard has recently been finalized already (in BLE 5?), but it’ll take time for Android phone mfgs to adopt. And HA mfg then can support this new Android BLE 5 standard. But I only heard it from somewhere on this forum and can’t vouch for the validity of this rumour.

So even though the OP of this thread is a SW developer, I’m not quite sure if he can simply develop an app on the Android side unilaterally to stream to the HAs at this time unless he knows what the Apple proprietary BLE protocol is and mimic that because that’s the only protocol the HA mfgs support right now. That’s probably why the OP never got anywhere with this.

And when the Android phone mfgs finally support the new BLE 5 standard for HA direct streaming, then I’m sure the HA mfgs will start supporting direct streaming on Android phones using this new standard protocol. But I think that has to be the order of things to happen: the Android phone mfgs must support the new BLE standard first (because there may be hardware changes involved to the phones, not just SW only) before the HA mfgs will jump on the Android phone’s bandwagons.

I don’t think it works the other way around where HA mfgs declare they support the new Android BLE standard and wait for third party hackers/developers like our OP to develop apps on Android phones to work for the HAs. The HA mfgs don’t lack their own SW developers to develop their own Android apps, but the new Android BLE standard has to be supported by the Android phone mfgs first before HA mfgs can make Made for Android on their HAs a reality.

@Volusiano said:

I don’t have the Costco KS6 but I have the Oticon OPN which is also made for iPhone and stream via the Apple proprietary BLE protocol.

Oticon also has an ON app made for Android to allow OPN users to control the OPN functions from their Android phones via Bluetooth, but you still cannot stream audio to the OPN from Android phone. So Bluetooth control is doable and already done. It’s the BLE audio streaming that’s still not doable on Android yet.

Apparently there’s no BLE audio streaming standard for Android yet so that’s why the HA mfgs cannot support audio streaming for Android due to this lack of standard, while they do support the audio streaming from iOS 9.3 or later already. Actually I heard from somebody on this forum that the BLE audio streaming standard has recently been finalized already (in BLE 5?), but it’ll take time for Android phone mfgs to adopt. And HA mfg then can support this new Android BLE 5 standard. But I only heard it from somewhere on this forum and can’t vouch for the validity of this rumour.

So even the OP of this thread is a SW developer, I’m not quite sure if he can simply develop an app on the Android side unilaterally to stream to the HAs at this time unless he knows what the Apple proprietary BLE protocol is and mimic that because that’s the only protocol the HA mfgs support right now. That’s probably why the OP never got anywhere with this.

And when the Android phone mfgs finally support the new BLE 5 standard for HA direct streaming, then I’m sure the HA mfgs will start supporting direct streaming on Android phones using this new standard protocol. But I think that has to be the order of things to happen: the Android phone mfgs must support the new BLE standard first (because there may be hardware changes involved to the phones, not just SW only) before the HA mfgs will jump on the Android phone’s bandwagons.

I don’t think it works the other way around where HA mfgs declare they support the new Android BLE standard and wait for third party hackers/developers like our OP to develop apps on Android phones to work for the HAs. The HA mfgs don’t lack their own SW developers to develop their own Android apps, but the new Android BLE standard has to be supported by the Android phone mfgs first before HA mfgs can make Made for Android on their HAs a reality.

Resound has a similar app to “control” your hearing aids which they use BTLE commands as is currently defined. I agree with most of what you are saying. A brief skim of the patent implies it uses the BTLE spec. as is. However the processing of the data(analog to digital conversion of the audio and such) may possibly take some additional hardware; I would hope not as that adds cost.

Thus if one knew how Apple and the hearing aid companies defined the interaction, then they could utilize it though it would most likely violate the patent as it is written to cover the generic process. I doubt Apple would license it to the competition.

Now if they adopted it into BTLE and made it open source, it may or may not violate the patent; hopefully not and soon.

My audiologist doesn’t think there is anything in the works for the Samsung S8 or any Android. She has always said the issue was too many different platforms(hardware?) to implement it on. Samsung is the top supplier so one would think they would get on top of it but they had too many other issues going on(bad, batteries and executives, to name a few).

I’d really hate to go to Apple. It’s just against my values and I have a strong will. If I could make it work for myself that may be fun getting there. TBD.

^^^ Well, at least you have the Phone Clip+ option to use it with Android phones and other devices, right? I know it’s not the same as direct streaming but at least the option is there. For the OPN, they rushed into market last year without having the equivalence of a Phone Clip available yet (they call it Connect Clip, to be available in Q1’17 but so far Q1’17 is almost over and still no words), so people who want streaming to BT devices are stuck with iOS devices for now.

I have a Samsung Note 4 myself, but I recently switched over to an iPhone 7 + for the direct streaming. It’s not so much because I couldn’t wait for the Connect Clip, but it was because I heard of some members on this forum having issues on their OPNs with iPhone streaming after using it for a while, and had to send their OPNs in for repair. So I don’t want to be stuck with an out-of-warranty that has issues with direct streaming later on, so it was enough incentive for me to switch over to an iPhone so I can thoroughly test this out for my particular OPNs. Sure I could connect them to iOS devices at the stores just fine, but the only way to thoroughly test it out looking for any HW issues is through daily use with an iPhone. When the Connect Clip becomes available, I can always switch back to my Note 4 and give my iPhone to a family member who doesn’t have an iOS vs Android preference.

I could use the phone clip+ but won’t. Then I have yet another device to buy, maintain and keep charged. I will just use my wired/wireless headsets to connect to my phone and TV that I have now. This feature would however give me a better incentive to use my hearing aids more often. Not having a easy microphone option for phone calls would still be cumbersome as I love being hands free. I only have moderate hearing lose and have lived with it all my life. Even with hearing aids I still cannot understand language as good as others. Thanks for the feedback.

Edited

I use the Resound Phone Clip+ several hours every day and I would be hindered without it. I have it paired with my cell phone, office phone and desktop, two laptops, and a tablet. You can’t do all that with an iPhone with no device. The sound quality is much better than a speakerphone or handset.

I would not be without it. I wear it on a lanyard, under my shirt.

I also listen to music on the phone, from xm Radio, Pandora, and my music stored on the phone, and watch/listen to videos.

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