This Week in Hearing

Gene therapy is opening new possibilities for addressing the underlying causes of genetic hearing loss. Brian Taylor, AuD, is joined by Jodi Cook, CEO of Skylark Bio, and Alexa Kozak, AuD, to discuss emerging therapeutic interventions for inherited hearing loss, with a particular focus on GJB2-related hearing loss, commonly associated with the connexin 26 protein. They explain the role of GJB2 in cochlear function, how genetic mutations contribute to hearing loss, and the potential for gene therapy to target the underlying biological cause.The conversation explores Skylark Bio's investigational gene therapy, SKY-GJB2, which is being evaluated in the SONIX Phase 1/2 clinical trial involving children ages 9 months to 7 years. Designed to deliver a functional copy of the GJB2 gene to cells within the cochlea, the treatment is being studied for safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy. Cook and Kozak discuss the science behind the approach, the trial's design and early milestones, and how emerging genetic therapies might eventually complement established interventions such as hearing aids and cochlear implants.The discussion also highlights the growing importance of genetic testing in pediatric audiology, including how clinicians can help families identify the causes of hearing loss and access genetic counseling. As research advances toward potentially treating certain forms of hearing loss at the molecular level, the conversation offers perspective on the evolving role of audiologists in diagnosis, treatment planning, and emerging therapeutic care.

• Learn more about Skylark Bio and their SONIX trial here: https://www.skylarkbio.com/news/skylark-bio-doses-first-patient-in-sonix-phase-1-2-trial-of-sky-gjb2-for-gjb2-related-pediatric-deafness

Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

• - https://x.com/WeekinHearing
• - https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinhearing/
• - https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing

Visit us at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/thisweek/

How do audiologists decide which hearing aids to recommend to their patients? And how much of that decision is guided by scientific evidence versus clinical experience, patient listening needs, and traditional technology-tiering approaches?

In this conversation, host Brian Taylor is joined by Rachael Pennock, AuD, a PhD student at Northwestern University, to discuss her recently published research examining how audiologists make hearing aid selection decisions and the factors that influence their recommendations.

For decades, hearing aid manufacturers and clinicians have relied on a “good, better, best” approach to hearing aid technology, often matching premium devices with patients who report more demanding listening environments. But how well does the research support this familiar model?

Drawing on two recent studies, including a survey of 185 audiologists and qualitative interviews exploring clinical decision-making, Pennock discusses how practitioners assess patients' listening environments, why informal clinical interviews remain a dominant assessment method, and how audiologists weigh technology levels, patient characteristics, and financial considerations.

The conversation also explores the limitations of existing evidence comparing basic and premium hearing aids, the influence of clinical training and manufacturer messaging, and why more research is needed to determine which patients benefit most from advanced hearing aid technology.

Articles Mentioned:

• Pennock, R., & Souza, P. (2026). Audiologist Decision-Making: Hearing Aid Technology Levels and Auditory Ecology. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 37(4), 280–297. https://doi.org/10.3766/jaaa.250077
• Pennock, R., Van Pelt, A., & Souza, P. (2026). Hearing Aid Selection by Audiologists: A Qualitative Exploration of Clinical Decision Making. American Journal of Audiology, 1–14. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_AJA-26-00063
• Mertes, I. B., Braun, S. T., & Billings, C. J. (2026). A Survey of U.S. Audiologists' Speech-in-Noise Testing Practice Patterns for Adults. American Journal of Audiology, 1–18. Advance online publication.https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00332
• Miller, B. (2026). The Regret Gap: How Tiered Counseling Disconnects Clinical Need from Intervention, Part 1. Audiology Practices, 17(4), 9–19.Miller, B. (2026). Closing the Regret Gap, Part 2: The Minimum Clinical Need Framework. Audiology Practices, 18(1), 22–33.

Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

• - https://x.com/WeekinHearing
• - https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinhearing/
• - https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing

Visit us at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/thisweek/

Starkey's new Omega AI+ hearing aids introduce a Quad DNN processing architecture, enhanced speech-in-noise technology, improved feedback management, and new sleep-tracking capabilities. But what do these advancements mean for hearing aid users and hearing care professionals?Reporting from Starkey Day in Minneapolis, Andrew Bellavia speaks with three of Starkey's senior leaders to explore the technology behind Omega AI+ and the company's broader vision for hearing health.Sarah Burdack, Chief Audiology Officer, discusses improvements in speech clarity, listening comfort, and feedback management, including Starkey's reported 11 dB improvement in feedback gain margin compared with its previous Omega generation. She also explains how Edge Mode allows users to prioritize speech, comfort, or overall sound quality, with an option for continuous operation.Achin Bhowmik, Chief Technology Officer, takes a deeper look at the new Quad DNN architecture, including neural-network-based compression, directionality, spatial awareness, and speech enhancement. He also explains how Starkey is using hearing aid sensors to introduce sleep tracking, including information about sleeping position.Brandon Sawalich, President and CEO, discusses Starkey's long-term technology roadmap, the growing role of hearing aids in health monitoring, and opportunities to improve the patient experience beyond the devices themselves.The conversation also examines practical considerations, including the updated charger, proactive left-behind notifications, and the continued emphasis on battery performance. Finally, Andrew puts one question to the test: How comfortable is it to sleep while wearing receiver-in-canal hearing aids?Watch for an in-depth look at Omega AI+ and how Starkey is combining artificial intelligence, hearing performance, and health technology in its latest generation of hearing aids.

• Starkey Omega AI+ launch announcement:https://hearinghealthmatters.org/hearing-technologies/2026/omega-ai-plus-g4-hearing-aids/

Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

• - https://x.com/WeekinHearing
• - https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinhearing/
• - https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing

Visit us at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/thisweek/

Nearly half (48%) of U.S. adults say society doesn’t know enough about hearing loss — even though people overwhelmingly recognize the importance of good hearing.In this conversation, Shari Eberts speaks with Dr. Patrick D’Haese, Corporate Director of Awareness and Public Affairs at MED-EL, about findings from a new international survey of more than 10,000 adults across 10 countries. The results reveal a striking disconnect between how much people value hearing and how well hearing loss is understood.They explore why hearing loss can be so easy to overlook, the listening effort that often remains invisible to others, gaps in awareness around cochlear implants and other hearing solutions, and some surprising findings about age and hearing-device stigma. The discussion also considers how greater public understanding could help people recognize hearing difficulties and seek support sooner.The conversation closes with a broader question for hearing healthcare: Should hearing checks become as routine as eye exams, blood pressure checks, cholesterol screenings, and dental visits?

• MED-EL 2026 global survey: https://www.medel.com/press-room/press-list/press-details/2026/07/09/global-med-el-survey-reveals--people-value-hearing-highly---but-few-believe-society-understands-hearing-loss

Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

• - https://x.com/WeekinHearing
• - https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinhearing/
• - https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing

Visit us at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/thisweek/

Hearing loss often develops gradually, which means many people may not recognize changes until they begin interfering with everyday communication. A new national initiative is looking to change that by making hearing screening a routine part of healthy aging.Shari Eberts is joined by Dr. Jill Davis, President of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA), and Mike O’Neil, U.S. Wholesale President at WSA, to discuss 'Listen Up', a public awareness campaign encouraging adults to begin routine hearing screening at age 50.The conversation explores why age 50 was selected as a starting point, the value of establishing a hearing baseline before noticeable problems emerge, and how screening can support prevention and earlier intervention. Davis and O’Neil also discuss the campaign’s grassroots approach, its expansion following an initial Kentucky pilot, and efforts to bring hearing screening into primary care and other settings where adults already receive routine health screenings.They also address hearing protection, online and remote screening options, when a comprehensive audiologic evaluation may be appropriate, and how Listen Up aims to make hearing health a more familiar part of the broader healthy-aging conversation. The initiative is currently expanding into Texas, Florida, Colorado, and Illinois as ADA and WSA test locally focused approaches to increasing public awareness.The goal is simple: make checking your hearing at 50 as routine as other health screenings—and give people a baseline they can track over time.

• Learn more about Listen Up and access campaign resources, consumer materials, and downloadable PSAs: https://audiologist.org/listenup

Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

• - https://x.com/WeekinHearing
• - https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinhearing/
• - https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing

Visit us at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/thisweek/

Oticon’s new Reveal hearing aid platform introduces a Dual AI approach designed to manage speech and contextual sounds while preserving the broader sound environment around the listener. Andrew Bellavia visits the Oticon Reveal U.S. launch at OticonNext in San Diego for an in-depth look at the technology with Michael Lamberson, President of Oticon USA, and Thomas Behrens, Vice President of Hearing Aid Audiology.They explore how Reveal differs from Oticon Intent, including two deep neural networks running on a single processing chip. Speech AI identifies and tracks speech across frequencies, while Context AI uses that information to manage surrounding sounds and noise. Rather than completely isolating a speaker, Oticon’s approach aims to create greater contrast between speech and background sound while maintaining contextual information from the surrounding environment.The conversation examines how clinicians can personalize the balance between speech and contextual sound, 360-degree access to the listening environment, and automatic adaptation across situations ranging from restaurants and group conversations to music. Bellavia, Lamberson, and Behrens also discuss listening effort, cognitive load, memory, and Oticon’s research into how hearing aid processing affects the brain.They also take a closer look at Reveal’s expanded fitting range, feedback management, IP68 rating, battery life, and wind noise processing, with Oticon reporting up to 10 dB of additional wind noise suppression compared with previous devices.

The discussion also covers updated connectivity hardware, Auracast, LE Audio, MFi, and other wireless protocols, before concluding with a broader look at how Oticon is approaching the continued use of AI and deep neural networks in hearing aids.Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

• - https://x.com/WeekinHearing
• - https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinhearing/
• - https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing

Visit us at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/thisweek/

Pediatric cochlear implant candidacy has expanded significantly in recent years, creating opportunities for earlier intervention and opening the door to implantation for children who may not have been considered candidates in the past.Dr. Bob Traynor is joined by Dr. Samantha Scharf, Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to discuss recent changes to FDA indications for pediatric cochlear implants and what they mean for audiologists, cochlear implant teams, and families.Scharf explains how pediatric candidacy has evolved, including the reduction of the minimum implantation age to 7 months for certain children with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss and the expansion of audiometric criteria to include children with more residual hearing. They discuss the research supporting earlier implantation and why providing consistent access to sound during critical periods of auditory and language development can have an important impact on long-term listening and spoken-language outcomes.The conversation also examines cochlear implantation for children with single-sided deafness, the evidence supporting implantation in younger children, and ongoing research evaluating whether candidacy for single-sided deafness could eventually extend below the current minimum age of 5 years.For clinicians, Scharf emphasizes the importance of beginning the referral process early rather than waiting until a child reaches the minimum implantation age. She also discusses the Pediatric CI 3-60 Guidelines, which recommends referral for a cochlear implant candidacy evaluation when a child meets any one of three measures in the ear being considered: an unaided four-frequency pure-tone average (4FPTA) of 60 dB HL or greater, an aided Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) of 0.60 or less, or a word recognition score (WRS) of 60% or less when available. These measures are intended to help identify children who warrant a comprehensive CI evaluation—not to determine candidacy on their own.Scharf also offers guidance for families navigating a new diagnosis of profound hearing loss and discusses why timely evaluation and intervention can be particularly important when listening and spoken language are among a family's goals.

• Read the referenced article, “New Cochlear Implant Candidacy Criteria for Children,” in The Hearing Journal

Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

• - https://x.com/WeekinHearing
• - https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinhearing/
• - https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing

Visit us at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/thisweek/

For people with hearing loss, many of the biggest challenges happen outside the clinic—from navigating difficult listening situations to managing the emotional and social impact of hearing loss.Shari Eberts is joined by Dan Reiner, Director of Communications and Marketing at the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), to explore how the organization can complement clinical hearing care and help support patients between appointments.They discuss HLAA’s network of 125 chapters and state associations, Hearing Life magazine, peer support groups, educational webinars, practical toolkits, workplace resources, Walk4Hearing events, and other free materials that hearing care professionals can share with patients and families. Dan also offers practical suggestions for audiologists interested in incorporating HLAA resources into their everyday patient care.The conversation highlights the role that community, education, peer support, and accessible resources can play in helping people live well with hearing loss—long after the clinical appointment ends.

Resources Mentioned:

• Hearing Loss Toolkit: https://www.hearingloss.org/resources/hearing-loss-toolkit/
• Hearing Life Magazine: https://www.hearingloss.org/media-and-publications/hearing-life-magazine/

Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

• - https://x.com/WeekinHearing
• - https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinhearing/
• - https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing

Visit us at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/thisweek/

Fortell is taking an unusual path for a hearing aid startup: entering the prescription hearing aid market with proprietary AI technology, its own clinics, and a care model built around audiologists.Shari Eberts speaks with Fortell co-founders Matt de Jonge and Cole Morris about the company’s approach to one of the most persistent challenges in hearing care—understanding speech in environments with multiple competing talkers.The conversation explores Fortell’s use of source separation and Spatial AI, including its Front Voices mode, which is designed to prioritize speakers in front of the wearer while reducing competing voices from other directions. De Jonge and Morris also discuss clinical studies evaluating speech intelligibility and listener preference in multi-talker noise, along with the limitations of the technology and why some of its more aggressive processing remains under manual control.The discussion also examines Fortell’s decision to enter the prescription market through company-operated clinics rather than the more typical manufacturer distribution model. The co-founders explain the role audiologists play in fitting and optimizing the technology, how the company approaches pricing and ongoing care, and the challenges of building and scaling a new hearing aid company in a market dominated by established manufacturers.Looking ahead, Fortell plans to expand its clinical footprint while continuing to develop its AI-based hearing technology. Since the conversation was recorded, the company has also introduced AI 2.0, a software update that Fortell says further improves speech-in-noise performance through expanded real-world training data and updated signal processing.Learn more about Fortell AI 2.0 update here:

• https://hearinghealthmatters.org/hearing-technologies/2026/fortell-ai-2-update-hearing-aids/

Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

• - https://x.com/WeekinHearing
• - https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinhearing/
• - https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing

Visit us at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/thisweek/

Phonak’s new EON hearing aid platform brings a smaller Sphere design, a new HYPERSONIC AI chip, expanded Spheric Speech Clarity, improved wind noise management, and Auracast connectivity.Andrew Bellavia visits the Phonak EON hearing aid launch at Ravinia Festival near Chicago for an in-depth look at the technology with Christine Jones, Michael Preuss, and Stefan Launer. They explore how a more efficient deep neural network and new chip architecture allowed Phonak to significantly reduce the size of its Sphere hearing aid while extending access to AI-based speech processing throughout the day.The conversation examines Spheric Speech Clarity 3.0, AutoSense OS AI 8.0, APD 4.0, and WindBlock 2.0, including how EON adapts its compression strategy as listening conditions change and remains in its AI-powered speech-in-loud-noise mode more consistently in fluctuating environments. They also dig into the research and technical measurements behind the platform, including wind noise reduction, speech-to-noise performance, listening effort, and emerging approaches to measuring how hearing aid processing affects cognitive load.Connectivity is another major focus. EON adds Auracast alongside Phonak’s Bluetooth and Roger ecosystem, with Phonak reporting Auracast reception at distances up to 211 meters under test conditions. Bellavia also discusses the addition of NAL-NL3 in Phonak Target 12.0 and shares news that existing Infinio and Infinio Ultra users are expected to gain access to Auracast through a future firmware update.The discussion concludes with a look at where deep neural networks in hearing aids could go next. It also explores plans for a permanent Auracast installation at Ravinia designed to make its popular outdoor lawn concerts more accessible to people with hearing loss. Bellavia’s consulting firm, AuraFuturity, has been working with Phonak on the Ravinia Auracast project.

Resources Mentioned:

1. Study on WindBlock 2.0: https://www.phonak.com/content/dam/phonak/en/evidence-library/field-studies/PH_FieldStudyNews_WindBlock2.0_210x280_EN_028-2901-02_V1.00.pdf
2. AutoSense OS™ AI 8.0 Technical Paper: https://www.phonak.com/content/dam/phonak/en/evidence-library/white-paper/technical-paper/PH_Insight_AutoSenseOS8.0_210x297_EN_028-2928-02_V1.00.pdf

Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

• - https://x.com/WeekinHearing
• - https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinhearing/
• - https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing

Visit us at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/thisweek/