HHTM

BALLERUP, DENMARK — Headset maker Jabra, a subsidiary company of the GN Group, announced the upcoming release of what it dubs as the “most technologically advanced wireless earbuds” available: the Elite Sport. The new Elite Sport wireless earbuds will come fully equipped with a heart rate monitor, music/stereo streaming, in-ear audio coaching with real time feedback, and stream for up to three hours

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK — The Hearing Instrument Manufacturers’ Software Association (HIMSA), maker of the popular hearing aid programming interface Noah, has announced the upcoming launch of what they are dubbing as the “new wireless programming standard” for programming Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) enabled hearing aids.   The new NoahlinkTM Wireless programming device was created with guidance and cooperation of major hearing aid manufacturers,

ATLANTA, GEORGIA — Babies exposed to the Zika virus in the womb should have their hearing tested and monitored regularly, say the authors of a study published today in the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.  The study evaluated nearly 70 infants in Brazil from November 2015 to May 2016.  All the babies had documented microcephaly and confirmed Zika infection. Sixteen

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS — Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), along with a pediatric otolaryngologist at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, have developed a device that could significantly improve the ability of doctors to accurately diagnose ear infections (otitis media). The device, which is said to ultimately function much like a typical otoscope, utilizes shortwave infrared light to penetrate deeper into the

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA — Having come under fire in recent years over the country’s inconsistent newborn hearing screening program nationwide, Canada’s province of Manitoba has announced that it will officially expand its program to make screenings available in all regional health authorities, at 13 healthcare facilities, on September 1 of this year. This week’s announcement of an official date comes one year

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK — Major hearing aid manufacturer GN Hearing (GN ReSound), announced this past week in its Q2 Interim Report, to the surprise of many industry insiders, that it has lost its contract with Costco as the supplier of its Kirkland Signature-branded hearing aids. The company, which has managed to continue increasing its market share across the industry in recent years,

Doctors are warning parents about the potential dangers posed by popular expanding bead toys, such as Orbeez. According to an article published this month in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery,  super-absorbent polymer bead toys that expand when placed in water can cause serious ear injuries in children. The super-absorbent polymer balls are incredibly small and can expand up to 300 times their original

LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA – Researchers at the University of Louisiana have discovered that sea anemone proteins can repair damaged mouse cochlear hair cells. Their results were published this week in the Journal of Experimental Biology. Sea anemones, which are able to detect passing prey using their vibration-sensitive hair cells covering their tentacles, have the amazing capacity to rebuild and restore parts of their

ZUG, SWITZERLAND — Biopharmaceutical company Auris Medical Holdings announced late last month that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track designation to its investigational drug, KeyzilenTM (AM-101).  Keyzilen is esketamine gel for intratympanic injection, intended for acute peripheral tinnitus following cochlear injury or otitis media in adults.  The Fast Track designation by the FDA of an investigational drug helps expedite the

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Global coffee giant, Starbucks, has announced that it will be opening a café in Malaysia that is dedicated to employing baristas who are Deaf or hard of hearing.The new café will be open to all customers, not just the Deaf and hard of hearing community. In what is likely a first for a major company in