The sound of silence is getting louder in America — and the tech world is listening. Across the country, the number of people living with some degree of hearing loss is rising, with cases expected to jump from 44 million in 2020 to more than 73 million by 2060. And the consequences stretch far beyond asking someone to repeat themselves. Hearing loss can take a serious toll on mental health and quality of life , raising the risk of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, social withdrawal and