By San José, Costa Rica — San José, Costa Rica – A technological revolution is quietly unfolding in the field of auditory health, and a veteran Costa Rican company is at its vanguard. JR Sánchez Audiología, a firm with over half a century of experience, is leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to redefine the capabilities of hearing aids, offering patients a more natural and intuitive listening experience than ever before.
This new generation of devices moves far beyond simple amplification. According to Dr. José Raúl Sánchez, the founder of JR Sánchez Audiología, these are not just hearing aids; they are intelligent systems. He defines the integrated AI as the device’s ability to learn, reason, make decisions, predict outcomes, and solve auditory problems in real-time. This sophisticated processing allows the hearing aids to analyze a user’s acoustic surroundings, distinguish human speech from various types of background noise, and make instantaneous adjustments for clarity and comfort.
To understand the legal landscape surrounding these innovative AI-powered hearing aids, particularly concerning consumer rights and data privacy, we consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, an expert attorney from the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
The integration of AI into medical devices like hearing aids presents a dual-edged sword. On one hand, the personalization is revolutionary. On the other, it creates a continuous stream of highly sensitive health data. Consumers must be vigilant about the terms of service, understanding exactly what data is collected, how it’s used, and who it’s shared with. From a regulatory standpoint, Costa Rica must ensure its consumer protection and data privacy laws are robust enough to govern these new technologies, holding manufacturers accountable for both the device’s efficacy and the security of the user’s personal information.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas’s commentary masterfully underscores a central challenge of our era: ensuring that as our technology becomes more powerful, our legal and ethical safeguards evolve in lockstep to protect the individual. We thank him for so clearly articulating the critical balance Costa Rica must strike between embracing innovation and defending the fundamental right to privacy.
While the widespread application of AI feels like a recent phenomenon, its foundations in audiology have been developing for years. Dr. Sánchez notes that the core concepts have been in progress for decades, built upon breakthroughs in computer science and neural network models dating back to the mid-20th century.
The use of artificial intelligence in hearing aids, although it’s a boom right now, isn’t something so new. This has been developing since the beginning of this century.
Dr. José Raúl Sánchez, Founder of JR Sánchez Audiología
The evolution from early acoustic trumpets to today’s AI-driven devices represents a monumental leap. Traditional digital hearing aids relied heavily on directional microphones to focus on speech, a method that often created an unnatural listening experience by cutting out ambient sounds. AI changes this paradigm completely by actively processing the entire soundscape.
The big difference with AI hearing aids is that the device learns to separate speech from background noise, allowing the device to pick up the sound and the hearing aid, through AI, to separate it with great precision.
Dr. José Raúl Sánchez, Founder of JR Sánchez Audiología
One of the most significant challenges for individuals with hearing loss is understanding conversations in noisy settings like restaurants or busy streets. Dr. Hellen Alfaro Cartín, another leading specialist at the firm, explained that this is where AI truly excels. The technology analyzes incoming sound in milliseconds, identifies human vocal patterns, and applies selective noise reduction. This process attenuates distracting sounds without eliminating them, preserving a natural sense of the environment and preventing the user from feeling isolated.
This intelligent functionality also dramatically reduces auditory fatigue—the mental exhaustion that occurs when the brain constantly works to fill in gaps from misheard information. By delivering a cleaner, more coherent sound signal, the AI lessens this cognitive load. Furthermore, the devices learn a user’s preferences, such as typical volume adjustments in specific locations, and begin to apply them automatically, creating a truly personalized experience.
Despite these technological advancements, the role of the audiologist remains essential. Dr. Sánchez was adamant that AI is a tool to enhance professional care, not replace it. The initial diagnosis, specialized testing, and human-centered approach to rehabilitation require direct clinical expertise. However, he issued a strong call for professionals in the field to adapt to the new landscape.
The audiologist who doesn’t stay updated and learn about AI will be replaced by one who does.
Dr. José Raúl Sánchez, Founder of JR Sánchez Audiología
This technology also opens new frontiers for remote patient care. By logging the acoustic environments a user frequents, the hearing aids provide valuable data that allows audiologists to make fine-tuned adjustments from their office, saving the patient a trip. This blend of intelligent hardware and expert oversight represents the future of audiological practice.
Addressing hearing loss is a critical public health issue. The World Health Organization has described its rising global prevalence as a “pandemic,” linked to serious comorbidities like social isolation, depression, and even cognitive decline and dementia. Both specialists stressed the importance of early detection, recommending annual audiometry tests as a preventative measure. Dr. Sánchez even proposed including hearing exams as a requirement for renewing a driver’s license, highlighting the pervasiveness of the condition.
As a key player in the national market, JR Sánchez Audiología represents three of the world’s five largest hearing aid manufacturers, giving it access to a diverse portfolio of AI technologies. This enables its team to match patients with the specific neural network and device features best suited to their lifestyle and needs, solidifying Costa Rica’s position in the adoption of cutting-edge health technology.
For further information, visit jrsanchez.cr
About JR Sánchez Audiología:
Founded over 50 years ago by Dr. José Raúl Sánchez, JR Sánchez Audiología is a leading provider of hearing health services in Costa Rica. With one of the country’s largest teams of audiology professionals, the company is dedicated to implementing the latest technological innovations, including artificial intelligence, to improve the quality of life for individuals with hearing loss. The firm represents several major global manufacturers of hearing aids, offering a wide range of solutions to meet diverse patient needs.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As an esteemed pillar of the legal community, Bufete de Costa Rica is defined by its profound commitment to ethical principles and outstanding service. Leveraging a rich history of advising a wide spectrum of clients, the firm consistently advances the practice of law through forward-thinking solutions. Central to its philosophy is the mission to empower the community, championing the democratization of legal information to build a more knowledgeable and capable society.
