Dr. Hosford-Dunn began blogging in her audiology private practice in Tucson, AZ. Back in 2009, blogging was a new and interesting way to quickly share and improve information with colleagues, consumers, and patients. As blogging gained attention, she had the opportunity to serve as chief editor of a multi-author blog for an hearing industry publication. The format was fun and successful. It rapidly evolved into Hearing Health & Technology Matters! (HHTM), an independent blogsite that she founded in partnership with other colleagues in 2011. Since its inception, Dr. Hosford-Dunn has served as HHTM’s first Editor-in-Chief, then Managing Editor, and now is CFO of the organization. After graduating with a BA and MA in Communication Disorders from New Mexico State, she completed a PhD in Hearing Sciences at Stanford and did post-docs at Max Planck Institute (Germany) and Eaton-Peabody Auditory Physiology Lab (Boston). Post-education, she directed the Stanford University Audiology Clinic; developed multi-office private practices in Arizona; authored/edited numerous text books, chapters, journals, and articles; and taught Marketing, Practice Management, Hearing Science, Auditory Electrophysiology, and Amplification in a variety of academic settings. Dr. Hosford-Dunn participates in life long learning by writing weekly posts and by embracing sequential learning endeavors. She spent a year training with the Gemological Institute of America, gaining certification as a Graduate Gemologist (GIA). She graduated with a B.A. in Economics and Psychology from the University of Arizona in 2013. Currently — and probably forever — she studies the Spanish language.
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May. 14, 2026

Ear device patents for March 2026

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Nathan Spackman’s patent #12572225 B1, for a Wireless earbud case with mouse functionalities, is potentially a great example of the original principle and modern evolution of “form follows function” design. Done right physically, the device’s practical design comprises ergonomics, internal layout, and usability as a mouse and a charging/storage case. It maximizes user behavior by merging two common objects into a
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Apr. 08, 2026

Ear device patents for February 2026

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Is this thing on? Sonova’s patent #12543008 recognizes that the variability of real-life listening situations is a challenge for comparing aided and unaided hearing [and]… mild to moderate hearing loss users do not get equal benefit of aided hearing in all situations… in some situations, the benefit is exceedingly small or even non-existent, in others it is large First time
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Mar. 09, 2026

Ear device patents for January 2026

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Hearing aid manufacturer patents continue to transform devices, merging hearing aids with health devices. This month’s premier example is Starkey patent #12533079, which could be a lifesaver for active wearers whenever it shows up in devices. Entitled Ear-wearable system and method for detecting heat stress, heat stroke and related conditions, the patent aims to: …detect dehydration symptoms, environmental conditions, and activity
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Feb. 07, 2026

Ear device patents for December 2025

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Nonverbal audio events EERS Global’s patent #12502130 concerns itself with internal and external nonverbal audio events, alone or in combination, which comprise every thing from teeth clicking, tongue clicking, blinking, eye closing, teeth grinding, throat clearing, saliva noise, swallowing, coughing, talking, yawning with inspiration, yawning with expiration, respiration, heartbeat and head or body movement, wind, earpiece insertion or removal, degrading
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Jan. 06, 2026

Ear device patents for November 2025

Holly Hosford-Dunn
What is Sonification and Why Would You Sonify? A Stanford patent (#12471825,Handheld or wearable device for recording or sonifying brain signals) picks up EEG via a headband with multiple metallic sensors (electrodes), then transforms the signals acquired into vocal patterns and vocal parameters. A methodology called sonification is then applied to identify and categorize changes in vocal patterns and vocal
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Dec. 02, 2025

Hearing device patents for October 2025

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Health and Physiology Platforms Nestle up to the Ear Monitoring and Guidance Meta’s patent # 12440167 (Real-time in-ear electroencephalography signal verification) thinks its device may help measure what the user is attending to (e.g., trying to listen to) in real-time (e.g., in a crowded restaurant) and improve auditory perception of the user. Stimulation and Reinforcement Learning Ceregate’s patent #12447340 (Auditory
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Nov. 08, 2025

Hearing device patents for September 2025

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Listening is hard and earbuds can be uncomfortable. Sometimes you just need a break, which is what Angela Murphy’s patent #US 12408777 B2 (Earbud accomodating pillow device) aims to afford device wearers. The September 2025 patent list Description Patent Number Assignee or Applicant Issued Wearable earpiece oxygen monitor 12402844 Oxiwear Inc (Arlington, VA) 9/02/2025 Electronic collaboration and communication method and
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Oct. 07, 2025

Hearing Device Patents for August 2025

Holly Hosford-Dunn
What you see is what you hear Norwegian company TK&H Holding AS has a beam-forming based hearing aid system integrated into glasses frames, described in patent #12389167. Besides describing its own patent idea, the patent gives a clear and concise description of prior art in the field. That historical review is welcome to bystanders witnessing the many eyeglass hearing aids
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Sep. 05, 2025

Ear device patents for July 2025

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Alango Technologies is an innovative Israeli company specializing in advanced digital signal processing across applications for voice, hearing, and audio. Alango Founder and CEO Alexander Goldin maintain a relatively high profile in the hearing/audio fields via frequent LinkedIn posts and non-stop participation in tech exhibitions (CES 2025, ISE 2025, GAS 2025, with IAA Mobility Summit and Dubai World Congress later
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Aug. 11, 2025

Ear device patents for June 2025

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Hearing glasses ideas are everywhere, including these new patents examples: Merry Electronics (Shenzhen)’s patent #12332506 for Wearable device and earbud Sony Group’s patent #12334076 entitled Selective speech-to-text for deaf or severely hearing impaired The patent list for June 2025 Description Patent Number Assignee or Applicant Issued Sound delivery apparatuses for audiometric measurements 12318194 Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) 6/03/2025 Implantable