Redefining Hearing Experiences with RelaJet and Arm-based Edge AI
For most of his life, Blue Chen relied on hearing aids. Diagnosed with hearing loss at a young age, he learned to navigate the world through amplified sound, but distinguishing speech from background noise remained a persistent challenge.
“I knew what it was like to hear but not understand,” he says. “And I kept thinking – if someone who lives with this experience designed the technology, could we make it better?”
That question became the foundation for RelaJet, the company Blue co-founded with his brother Jack in 2018. Their goal was to develop hearing solutions that go beyond volume – using AI to adapt to different environments and focus on what users want to hear in order to improve communication.
However, delivering this kind of real-time, personalized experience required a shift in how hearing aids were designed and powered. RelaJet turned to Arm-based edge AI technology, enabling the company to run advanced audio processing locally on compact, low-power devices – without compromising battery life or relying on cloud connectivity.
RelaJet’s inspiring story is featured in Arm’s latest brand video, which highlights how AI built on Arm is driving meaningful innovation in people’s daily lives.
Understanding the challenge of hearing in a noisy world
For people who are hearing impaired, traditional hearing aids amplify sound but often fail to deliver true clarity. In noisy environments like busy cafés, train platforms, or open offices, amplifying all sounds indiscriminately can leave users overwhelmed and disconnected.
Solving this problem requires intelligence at the edge – the ability to distinguish human speech from background noise and adapt in real time, all within a device small enough to sit comfortably in the ear.
At the core of RelaJet’s flagship Otoadd device is an AI voice enhancement engine that uses deep learning models to separate mixed sounds in real time, identifying which sounds are human voices and which are background noise. Once the system locks onto the speaker’s voice, it enhances it, enabling clearer conversations even in unpredictable environments.
RelaJet describes its AI system as an “invisible sound editor,” always working in the background to amplify important conversations and suppress distractions. The AI can distinguish between different types of audio input – from speech to ambient sounds like traffic – and dynamically determine what the user needs to hear based on context and personalized hearing settings.
Building a smarter solution with edge AI and Arm
From day one, RelaJet needed a compute platform that combined performance, energy efficiency, scalability, and developer flexibility. Arm’s low-power technology provided the compute power required to run deep learning inference locally, while Arm toolkits and optimization libraries helped streamline model development – enabling real-time processing with minimal resource overhead.
This allowed RelaJet’s engineers to compress powerful AI models to fit the constraints of ultra-compact, low-power devices, eliminating the need for constant cloud or smartphone connectivity. The edge-computing architecture ensures high levels of privacy and responsiveness, while making medical-grade technology practical for daily use with multi-day battery life.
“It’s not just about clarity, but about confidence, independence, and freedom,” says Blue. “We wanted to build a hearing solution that truly adapts to people’s lives, and Arm’s technology gave us the efficiency and flexibility to achieve that.”
Designing devices that fit naturally into everyday life
Otoadd features two core modes: Normal Mode, which enhances natural ambient hearing, and Noise Reduction Mode, which focuses on speech and suppresses distractions. Users can switch between modes manually or use environment-based presets available in the companion app.
Here are several real-world examples of how Otoadd is making a difference:
- A logistics worker who can finally hear radio voices clearly over engine noise.
- A grandmother who can follow conversations again through her face mask, thanks to the Mask Mode.
- And Blue himself, who now moves through social situations without second-guessing what he missed.
“When someone tells us they feel more present in their own life, that’s worth more than any award,” says Blue.
Enabling connected, personalized hearing with Arm-Based edge AI
RelaJet’s work is a clear example of what’s possible when human experience drives technical innovation. With Arm-based edge AI enabling more natural, personalized interaction, hearing technologies are becoming more intuitive and human-centered.
Looking ahead, RelaJet envisions hearing devices evolving from simple amplifiers into intelligent communication companions – tools that understand user intent, adapt automatically to new environments, and empower more people to engage fully in conversations and communities.
With edge AI enabling real-time intelligence in ultra-small form factors, RelaJet and Arm are part of a broader movement: bringing smart, human-centered technology into everyday life.
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