This Week in Hearing

The hearing aid market is undergoing a transformative period, marked by the convergence of traditional hearing aids and consumer audio devices. This week, Brian Taylor takes the guest seat to discuss these trends with Shari Eberts. Taylor highlights the evolution of artificial intelligence in hearing aids, noting its long-standing role in the industry and its growing sophistication. Major hearing aid companies, like Signia, are leveraging AI to develop innovative devices tailored to modern consumer needs.

For audiologists like Glynnis Tidball, managing tinnitus effectively involves more than just therapy—it’s about empowering patients with personalized and compassionate care. In this episode, Gael Hannan interviews her personal audiologist, who works at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, Canada, specializing in both cochlear implants and tinnitus management. Glynnis shares how her journey into tinnitus care began unexpectedly, inspired by an ENT colleague’s suggestion to start a clinic. She explains the intricacies of treating tinnitus, likening it to solving a complex puzzle and emphasizing the need to understand each patient’s unique situation while working collaboratively on tailored, long-term strategies.

ELEHEAR is positioning itself as a forward-thinking player in the OTC hearing aid market, evolving from an OEM supplier to a direct-to-consumer brand focused on accessibility and innovation. Shari Eberts talks with Jalene Nadeau, Chief Audiologist & Director of Customer Support at ELEHEAR, about the company’s strategic shift and their efforts to make high-quality hearing technology widely available. Jalene explains how ELEHEAR’s strong foundation in noise management and AI sound processing has influenced their approach to developing user-friendly, cost-effective hearing aids.

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How can AI make the journey to better hearing smoother for OTC hearing aid users? In this episode from the EUHA show floor, Tuned co-founders Omri Gavish and Ron Ganot, joined by Board Advisor Delain Wright, discuss their recent collaboration with JVC to introduce hearing aids equipped with streaming and rechargeability. More importantly, they reveal Tuned’s AI-based care model, which helps users acclimate to their hearing aids through personalized guidance.

Rally Caps is not just another baseball movie—it's a powerful story about overcoming adversity, friendship, and authentic representation of hearing loss. In this episode, Shari Eberts speaks with Jodi Cutler, co-author of the book that inspired the film, and Lee Cipolla, the film’s director. Rally Caps follows Jordy, a young baseball player with cochlear implants, and Lucas, his teammate and mentor who also has hearing loss. Together, they navigate the challenges of growing up, finding confidence, and bonding over their love of baseball. With support from Phonak and Advanced Bionics, the film integrates real hearing technology naturally into the storyline, offering a true-to-life portrayal of hearing loss in mainstream media.

What will audiology look like in 2050? In this insightful discussion, Doctors Amyn Amlani and Jason Leyendecker sit down with Dave Kemp to explore the Audiology 2050 initiative, a visionary roadmap from the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) aiming to elevate the profession to meet future challenges.

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OTOPLAN©, a specialized tool for surgeons and audiologists, enables 3D reconstructions of patients' cochleas using CT and MRI scans. This capability optimizes electrode array selection before surgery and enhances implant programming afterward. Since achieving FDA clearance in the U.S., OTOPLAN has been adopted by over 225 clinical centers, processing more than 3,200 scans and providing clinicians with precise anatomical insights that significantly improve patient outcomes.

How does audiology intersect with the legal system? Dr. Robert Traynor, an expert in forensic audiology, delves into this unique area where audiologists apply their knowledge to assist in legal cases involving hearing loss, tinnitus, and injury claims. Dr. Traynor, inspired by Marc Kramer’s 1982 book Forensic Audiology, explains how forensic audiologists help attorneys and courts understand complex auditory issues, whether in noise-induced hearing loss lawsuits or other legal disputes involving hearing health.

What if we could dramatically accelerate the process of turning tinnitus research into real-world clinical solutions? In this discussion, Jeffery Reagan and Dr. James Henry introduce the idea of a Tinnitus Learning Health Network, a collaborative model aimed at bridging the gap between research, clinical practice, and patient experiences.

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Interested in learning more about the latest in tinnitus care? You won't want to miss the upcoming InFocus: Rethinking Tinnitus virtual symposium, scheduled for November 19-21. Open to both professionals and the public, the symposium will showcase the latest innovations in tinnitus care and provide a platform for discussing transformative initiatives like the Tinnitus Learning Health Network. Learn more:

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Starkey's Dave Fabry and Achin Bhowmik delve into the advanced capabilities of the Edge AI hearing aids, discussing the improvements over the previous Genesis AI model. They highlight the always-on deep neural network (DNN), which continuously adapts to different sound environments, offering a seamless experience for users. The Edge mode feature has been enhanced, allowing users to boost speech clarity or reduce noise based on their surroundings, ensuring a more customized hearing experience throughout the day.