Most hearing aids require a very visible element, like a main unit that must be worn in the ear. Futuristic designs that disguise the hearing aid are becoming more and more advanced, putting the function of a hearing aid into gadgets that look nothing like the traditional bulky earpieces. The Babelfisk design from Mads Hindhede is a pair of glasses with built-in speech recognition software; conversations are converted from sounds into text via two projectors.

The glasses might not be the most inconspicuous accessory ever, but they are chock full of advanced technology that can help hearing impaired people be a part of conversations without having to wear bulky, sometimes-embarrassing hearing aids.

Conversations are captured on two microphones, then the words are converted into real-life speech bubbles via embedded speech recognition software and projectors in the lenses. The glasses also include noise-filtering technology to cut down on interference from other conversations. A micro-USB port lets the user update the software with ease so that these high-tech glasses are always kept at the forefront of speech recognition technology.