This Week in Hearing

How are over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids evolving as the market continues to develop? This week, host Bob Traynor speaks with David Hogan, Managing Director of ELEHEAR, about the growth of the OTC category and how new technologies are shaping consumer hearing solutions.Hogan brings more than 30 years of experience in audio wearables and hearing technology, including previous roles with GN and early wearable audio startups. In the conversation, he explains how ELEHEAR approaches hearing devices as a company rooted in sound processing algorithms and audio technology, and how that foundation has influenced the development of its OTC hearing products. The discussion also explores how features like Bluetooth connectivity, lifestyle audio functionality, and new earbud-style designs are expanding the role hearing devices can play in everyday life. Traynor and Hogan also discuss how OTC products may serve as an entry point for hearing care, helping more people begin addressing hearing challenges earlier while complementing traditional clinical pathways.

• For more information about ELEHEAR and the company's OTC hearing aid lineup, visit: https://elehear.com/

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Every year, World Hearing Day brings global attention to one of the most common — and often overlooked — public health challenges: hearing loss.In this discussion, experts from the World Health Organization and the global hearing health community explain the purpose and impact of World Hearing Day, an international initiative focused on improving awareness, prevention, and access to ear and hearing care worldwide. The conversation explores how the effort has expanded into coordinated activities across countries, reaching policymakers, professionals, educators, and communities. Dr. Carolina Der, Technical Officer in the WHO Ear and Hearing Care Programme, and Dr. James Saunders of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center discuss this year’s theme — Hearing Care for All Children — and why school-based screening, early detection, and public awareness are critical to improving global hearing health. They also share practical ways clinicians, organizations, and individuals can participate and help expand access to hearing care worldwide.

For more information about World Hearing Day and how to get involved, visit: https://worldhearingday.org/

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What if the future of hearing technology doesn’t sit inside the ear at all? At CES 2026, one of the most important trends was the rapid rise of open-ear hearing devices — from smart hearing glasses and clip-on assistive audio to bone-conduction and hybrid speaker systems.

In this special recap, Andrew Bellavia explores how companies including Cearvol, Knowles, xMEMS, Mimi, Absolute Audio Labs, and others are driving the convergence of consumer audio and hearing healthcare. The episode also examines major advances in AI noise reduction, beamforming, MEMS speakers, and licensable hearing software, technologies that are enabling new crossover devices capable of supporting hearing, music, and everyday listening in a single platform. While hearing technology may not dominate CES headlines, the innovations showcased here point toward a future where intelligent, personalized hearing solutions become more accessible across a wide range of devices and price points.Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

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What if advanced AI noise reduction could run efficiently on standard hearing device hardware?In this episode, Dave Kemp speaks with Aernout Arends of Absolute Audio Labs and Zengyi “Boltzmann” Li of Aizip about how platform-based hearing architectures and tiny AI models are reshaping the future of hearing technology. The discussion centers on the integration of Aizip’s AI-driven speech and noise separation into AAL’s PYOUR Audio framework, enabling advanced hearing performance across multiple hardware platforms without requiring specialized processors.The conversation explores how AI-based denoising differs from traditional approaches, particularly in complex real-world listening environments, and how open platform ecosystems may accelerate innovation by allowing specialized technologies to integrate more efficiently into complete hearing solutions. Looking ahead, the discussion considers how these advances could expand access, improve speech understanding in noise, and help drive the next generation of hearing devices across both prescription and OTC markets. Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

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What does Auracast actually feel like in a real-world performance? In this episode, Andrew Bellavia visits the Marriott Theatre near Chicago, where he was invited to personally experience Auracast during a live production and speak with the people behind its implementation. The deployment brought broadcast audio into a working theater environment, giving hearing aid users—and others—the opportunity to connect directly to the performance in a new way.After trying the system himself, Andrew speaks with theater leadership, technical staff, and attendees about why Auracast was added alongside the venue’s long-standing loop system, how installation was completed, and how coverage extends beyond the seating area. Audience interviews capture meaningful reactions, with some participants describing the experience as reconnecting them to music and dialogue in ways they had not experienced in years.As more venues explore next-generation broadcast audio, this real-world implementation offers insight into how Auracast may expand accessibility, improve engagement, and influence the future of shared listening in theaters and other public spaces.Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

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What makes tinnitus distressing for some people—but barely noticeable for others?In this in-depth conversation, clinical psychologist and tinnitus researcher Dr. Jennifer Gans explains why tinnitus is best understood not simply as a sound, but as a brain-driven experience. Drawing on neuroscience, clinical experience, and mindfulness-based research, she explores how the brain’s response—rather than the sound itself—plays a central role in tinnitus distress, and how that response can change over time.Dr. Gans discusses why accurate education is foundational to effective tinnitus care, how anxiety and stress amplify tinnitus distress, and why habituation is a natural process—not something patients need to force. She also shares insights from her work with thousands of tinnitus patients and introduces her new weekly column at Hearing Health & Technology Matters (HHTM), "Tinnitus Education Corner," focused on evidence-based education and practical guidance.This conversation is designed for clinicians, researchers, and individuals living with tinnitus who want a clearer, more grounded framework for understanding—and reducing—the impact of tinnitus in daily life.

• Check out Dr. Gans' weekly column at: https://hearinghealthmatters.org/tinnitus-education-corner
• Learn more about Dr. Gans and her work at: https://mindfultinnitusrelief.com/

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What if hearing technology didn’t try to hide—but instead embraced visibility and style? In this conversation, Nick Morgan-Jones shares his personal journey with hearing loss and the stigma that kept him from wearing hearing aids for years. That experience led him to found Overtone, a consumer-focused hearing technology brand aiming to rethink how hearing devices look, feel, and fit into everyday life.Nick discusses the design philosophy behind Overtone, the challenges of building a new form factor, and why hearing augmentation could be relevant beyond traditional clinical use. The discussion explores stigma, aesthetics, universal design, and how consumer technology approaches could influence the future of hearing health and adoption.

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Why do so many people delay hearing care—even after acknowledging a problem or receiving a recommendation? In this conversation, hearing instrument specialist and researcher Bobbi-Jo Marlatt explores how motivational interviewing (MI) can help hearing care professionals better support patients who feel uncertain, ambivalent, or overwhelmed about treatment. Drawing on her new book, Motivational Interviewing for Hearing Care Providers, Marlatt explains why communication style often matters as much as clinical expertise when it comes to long-term hearing aid adoption.Marlatt discusses how motivational interviewing shifts the focus away from persuasion and toward collaboration, helping clinicians recognize common habits—such as rushing to solutions or labeling patients as “non-compliant”—that can unintentionally create resistance. Through practical examples, she illustrates how asking open-ended questions, listening reflectively, and allowing space for uncertainty can lead to more meaningful conversations and stronger patient engagement, even within the time constraints of everyday practice.The discussion also looks ahead to the role of motivational interviewing in education and research, including Marlatt’s ongoing PhD work examining its impact in hearing care settings. She argues that integrating MI into routine clinical practice may help reduce delays in treatment, improve hearing aid use, and ultimately support better quality of life for patients. The conversation offers practical takeaways for hearing care professionals seeking a more patient-centered approach to counseling and care.

• Motivational Interviewing for Hearing Care Providers: https://www.pluralpublishing.com/publications/motivational-interviewing-for-hearing-care-providers

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

What will it take for accessible audio to become the norm rather than the exception in public spaces? In this conversation, Andrew Bellavia is joined by Paul Daft of GN and journalist and accessibility advocate Liam O’Dell to explore the growing momentum behind Auracast and its potential to reshape how people access sound in venues such as theaters, cultural spaces, and other public environments.The discussion frames Auracast as part of a broader accessibility ecosystem rather than a replacement for existing solutions like induction loops, captions, or audio description. Daft and O’Dell emphasize the importance of offering multiple access options, recognizing that different users have different needs. Beyond supporting people with hearing loss, Auracast is discussed as a tool that may also benefit neurodivergent individuals, noise-sensitive listeners, and those seeking clearer speech in complex or noisy settings.The conversation also addresses the practical barriers slowing adoption, including limited awareness among venue operators, misconceptions about cost and complexity, and gaps in education for professionals and end users. While challenges remain, the discussion highlights growing collaboration across industry, advocacy, and media, alongside a shared belief that inclusive audio should increasingly be treated as a standard expectation in public spaces rather than a special accommodation.Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

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Dr. Richard W. “Dick” Danielson’s career in audiology spans decades of service, leadership, and innovation across the U.S. Army, academic medicine, and NASA. A retired Army Colonel and former manager of Audiology and Hearing Conservation at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Dr. Danielson has dedicated his professional life to reducing the risk of hearing loss among military personnel, astronauts, and those who support them.In this Giants in Audiology conversation, Dr. Danielson reflects on a remarkable journey that began in a one-room schoolhouse in rural North Dakota and led to leadership roles at major Army medical centers, deployment during Operation Desert Storm, and the development of hearing conservation programs for spaceflight and ground-based missions at NASA. Along the way, he shares stories of building audiology clinics from the ground up, mentoring generations of audiologists and audiology assistants, and shifting the profession’s focus from simply documenting hearing loss to actively preventing it.Dr. Danielson discusses the evolution of military audiology, the critical role of hearing conservation in readiness and quality of life, and how interdisciplinary collaboration—rather than working in isolation—shaped his approach to leadership. He also reflects on the importance of mentorship, adaptability, and professional relationships, emphasizing that his career was built through collaboration with colleagues across audiology, medicine, engineering, and public health.The discussion offers a thoughtful and often personal look at how audiology has evolved over the past several decades—and how one clinician’s commitment to service helped expand the profession’s impact far beyond the clinic walls.Be sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest episodes each week and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

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