The American government has approved the use of Apple AirPods as hearing aids.美国政府已经批准苹果AirPods作为助听器使用。 The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced it had approved new hearing aid software created for some AirPods devices.美国食品和药物管理局（FDA）最近宣布，已经批准了为一些AirPods设备开发的新助听器软件。 An Apple software release this week launched the system on the devices.苹果公司本周发布的一款软件将该系统安装在这些设备上。 Apple said its AirPods Pro 2 are equipped with the software.苹果公司表示，其AirPods Pro 2配备了该软件。 The company added that the design will permit users to turn their AirPods into a medical-strength hearing aid device.该公司补充说，该设计让用户可以将他们的AirPods变成医疗级助听器。 The system aims to increase specific sounds in real-time, including parts of speech and elements within a users' environment.该系统旨在实时增加特定的声音，包括语音部分和用户环境中的元素。 Apple says another goal of its software release is to get more people to try hearing aids.苹果公司表示，其软件发布的另一个目标是让更多的人尝试助听器。 An estimated 30 million Americans – about 1 in 8 Americans over the age of 12 — have hearing loss in both ears.据估计，有3000万美国人——大约八分之一的12岁以上的美国人——双耳听力受损。 Millions could see improvements from hearing aids.数百万人可以通过助听器得到改善的听力。 But most have never tried them, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders says.但国家耳聋和其他交流障碍研究所表示，大多数人从未尝试过。 Many others have tried assistive devices, but choose not to use them.还有很多人尝试过辅助设备，但选择不使用。 The reasons include high cost, poor quality, poor fit, how the devices look or other reasons.原因包括成本高，质量差，不适合，设备的外观或其他原因。 But in recent years, there has been a push in the U.S. to get more people to try them.但近年来，美国一直在推动让更多的人尝试它们。 In 2022, federal rules changed to permit some kinds of hearing aids to be sold without a doctor's order, or prescription.2022年，联邦法规进行了修改，允许在没有医生处方的情况下销售某些类型的助听器。 Such moves aimed to bring better and less costly models to patients.这些举措旨在为患者提供更好、成本更低的模型。 The highest-quality hearing aids can cost from 1,000 dollars to 2,500 dollars, or even more.最高质量的助听器价格从1000美元到2500美元不等，甚至更高。 But some over-the-counter models sell for between 400 dollars and 500 dollars, said Elizabeth Stangl, a hearing expert at the University of Iowa.但爱荷华大学的听力专家伊丽莎白·斯坦格说，一些非处方型号的助听器售价在400至500美元之间。 She spoke to The Associated Press.她接受了美联社的采访。 Stangl said some of the less costly models are only effective at raising sound levels.斯坦格说，一些成本较低的型号只在提高声音水平方面有效。 But they lack the personal settings and noise blocking tools that can make hearing aids most helpful.但他们缺乏个人设置和噪音屏蔽工具，这可以使助听器发挥最大的作用。 AirPods cost 249 dollars on Apple's website, and sometimes less from other sellers.苹果网站上AirPods的售价为249美元，其他卖家的售价有时更低。 The launch of the software is part of a series of health tools Apple has released over the years.该软件的发布是苹果多年来发布的一系列健康工具的一部分。 Most of them were built for the Apple Watch.其中大多数都是为苹果手表设计的。 These include several tools for checking heart and oxygen levels.其中包括一些检查心脏和氧气水平的工具。 Apple's software release also includes built-in tests to help users find out if they have hearing loss and, if so, how severe it is.苹果发布的软件还包括内置测试，以帮助用户发现他们是否有听力损失，如果有，有多严重。 Those who do have hearing loss can then set specific amplification levels.那些听力损失的人可以设定特定的放大水平。 Experts say there are other, similar headphone devices on the market that could also be used to increase sound levels for people with hearing loss.专家说，市场上还有其他类似的耳机设备，也可以用来提高听力损失的人的听力水平。 But many agree the AirPods addition is a good one, largely because of the way it could help normalize hearing aids for the public.但许多人都认为，AirPods的加入是一件好事，主要是因为它可以帮助公众正常使用助听器。 Barbara Kelley is the director of the Hearing Loss Association of America.芭芭拉·凯利是美国听力损失协会的负责人。 She told the AP that AirPods are considered "mainstream" and already widely used.她告诉美联社，AirPods被认为是“主流”，已经被广泛使用。 This could get people to try the devices if they have been resistant to the look of traditional hearing aids.如果人们不喜欢传统助听器的外观，这可能会让他们尝试AirPods这种设备。 Kelley noted that many health conditions have been linked to hearing loss.凯利指出，许多健康状况都与听力损失有关。 These include depression, dementia and greater risk of falls.其中包括抑郁、痴呆和更大的跌倒风险。 The majority of people with hearing loss are over age 60, but it can affect younger people as well, including those who suffered a hearing damaging event.大多数患有听力损失的人都在60岁以上，但它也会影响年轻人，包括那些遭受听力损害事件的人。 "Everything we do, all our relationships, whether it's personal or in our work life, involve hearing conversation," Kelley said.凯利说：“我们所做的每一件事，我们所有的人际关系，无论是私人关系还是工作关系，都涉及到倾听谈话。” "We're finding now that the sooner that people can pay attention to their hearing health, the better."“我们现在发现，人们越早关注自己的听力健康就越好。” The University of Iowa's Stangl noted the AirPods solution does come with possible issues some people may not like.爱荷华大学的斯坦格指出，AirPods这种解决方案确实存在一些人可能不喜欢的问题。 Fit and comfort during long use might be one of these.在长时间的使用中，贴合性和舒适性可能就是其中之一。 And while other hearing aids are built to last through a whole day or more, she said the battery life of the AirPods does not permit for that.她说，虽然其他助听器可以使用一整天或更长时间，但AirPods的电池续航时间做不到这样。 She also said that wearing AirPods might send a message to others that the person does not want to be disturbed or spoken to.她还说，戴上AirPods可能会向别人发出一个信息，即这个人不想被打扰或不想说话。 "But we're hoping that more people will try it and realize, Yeah, these do help," Stangl said.斯坦格说：“但我们希望更多人尝试一下，并意识到，‘是的，它确实有帮助。’” I'm Bryan Lynn.布莱恩·林恩为您播报。
