The HearingTracker Podcast: Hearing Aids, Hearing Technology, and Hearing Loss

Did you know that a healthy social life is a better predictor of longevity than smoking, obesity, and alcohol consumption? In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei speaks with Brandy Heckroodt, the Audiology Development Manager at Phonak, about the connection between hearing loss, social connections, and general health. You'll learn how hearing loss can lead to social isolation and physical inactivity, which can ultimately lead to increased risk of general health problems like coronary heart disease and stroke. 

In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei speaks with Rick Radia, the Product and Partnership Manager at AudioTelligence. Based in Cambridge (England), AudioTelligence aims to solve the "Cocktail Party Problem" using its Aiso™ for Hearing, which combines Blind Source Separation (BSS) and low-latency noise suppression. Tune in to hear audio samples of Aiso™ for Hearing, and to find out how the technology might help you hear better in noisy environments. 

In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei talks to Dr. Don Schum, the Head of Audiology at Whisper. Based in San Francisco, Whisper manufactures hearing aids that remove background noise through "denoising", a process that relies on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). In the interview, Dr. Schum provides some history on Whisper's creation and mission, and explains—in layman's terms—how Whisper uses cutting-edge technologies to help Whisper owners hear better in background noise.

In today's episode of the HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei interviews Giles Tongue, CEO & Co-Founder at Chatable. Giles is passionate about conversation enhancement technology, and his company is a frontrunner in the race to revolutionize the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds for the 1.5 billion people who suffer from hearing loss globally. Tune in for an update on the state of the art, and to find out what to expect from this rapidly advancing field of technology.

In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei talks to two creative young entrepreneurs looking to revolutionize the way we hear. 

Nick Morgan-Jones, the founder of Decibels, wants to throw out the term "hearing aids" and make hearing aids less medical, more fashionable, and a lot more visible. Nick tried hearing aids for the first time when he was 10 years old, but the stigma of wearing hearing aids and going through the healthcare system was enough to put Nick off wearing hearing aids until adulthood. Decibels are a new kind of hearing enhancement device that Nick hopes will help to reposition the hearing aid as product people actually want to wear.

And Pedro Costa, the founder Auricle, asks "why is it that all high quality headphones always have to block our ears?" Pedro, along with his team in Copenhagen have invented a brand new type of earphones that rest clip onto the tragus of the ear and stimulate hearing through bone conduction. Pedro says you can "feel the beat literally" with Auricle, and that the open-ear design is safer in situations that require awareness, like biking.

In this episode of the HearingTracker podcast, host Steve Taddei interviews Justin Miller, CEO and cofounder of Nuheara. Based in Australia, Nuheara has been an innovator in the consumer wireless earbuds industry since 2016. With their latest product, IQBuds Max, Nuheara offers a robust direct-to-consumer hearing enhancement product, which is widely used as a solution for mild hearing loss. 

48 million Americans suffer from mild-to-moderate hearing loss. And only 14% of Americans with hearing loss currently own a hearing aid. As we move into a new era of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, and telehealth-facilitated hearing care, startups like Lexie and Nuheara are looking to capitalize by offering more convenient, more affordable hearing solutions. And, established industry players are also looking to get in the game too, with GN (ReSound's parent company) bringing a new self-fitting Jabra hearing aid to consumers. 

In today's episode we talk De Wet Swanepoel, Scientific Advisor at Lexie Hearing, about selling telehealth-supported FDA-registered hearing aids over the internet. We also check in with Justin Miller, Co-Founder and CEO at Nuheara, about his company's IQBuds, which offer personalized hearing amplification for under $500. We also talk to Laura Baney from GN, about the currently delayed Jabra Enhance Plus, which is a self-fitting hearing aid that GN plans to distribute through audiologists. 

Consumers now have more options than ever when it comes to shopping for hearing aids. And navigating those options isn't easy. In the last part of the episode, we talk to Heather Malyuk and Danny Aronson, from Tuned, a new startup that promises to help consumers understand the options through direct telehealth counseling.

In 2021, most hearing aids can be adjusted remotely, from the comfort and safety of your home. It's easy to connect with an audiologist through video-conferencing services like Zoom, to discuss your experiences and receive intimate private counseling. And there are even direct-to-consumer hearing aids that can be purchased over the internet, with follow-up services provided remotely by licensed hearing healthcare practitioners. 

Over the next few episodes, we’ll explore how new telehealth technologies in audiology might help you on your own personal hearing journey. In today's episode—the first in our telehealth mini-series—we talk to Dr Cliff Olson about the growth of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. We'll also talk to Dr De Wet Swanepoel, a Professor at the University of Pretoria (and founder at hearX Group), about how scientists are overcoming hearing healthcare accessibility challenges in Africa with the aid of new telehealth technologies. And more!

In today’s episode, we speak with two hearing aid experts to learn about wireless audio streaming in modern hearing aids. Today's hearing aids can stream multimedia and calls from your phone, but also have the ability to tap into shared audio streams through magnetic induction loops, or "hearing loops", which are installed in public spaces like auditoriums and churches. While hearing loops are the current state of the art, we'll also learn about the Bluetooth future of shared audio streams.

Today's guests include:

In today’s episode, we spoke with Valerie James Abbott, the author of the children’s book Padapillo. Padapillo explores the emotional process family members often experience when a young child is unexpectedly diagnosed with hearing loss. Valerie shares her family’s real life journey too. After her daughter Bridget was diagnosed with hearing loss in preschool, the Abbott family did all they could to ensure Bridget's success.

Dr. Carmen Jamis, a pediatric and implant audiologist, also joins us on the episode to provide expert advice for families. Whether you suspect your child may have a hearing loss, or you’ve already begun the process of diagnosis and treatment, Dr. Jamis has advice you need to hear!