Hearing Economics

by Amyn M Amlani, PhD In Part 1 of the series on “Pricing in Hearing Healthcare: Which Race are You Running?,” the reader was provided with an overview of the supply-side’s strategy to reduce retail prices to encourage product uptake/adoption. Such a strategy, it was contended, supported the transition of hearing healthcare from a predominately provider-based market segment to a

Behold, The Pinna Pinnas are visible and cute (e.g., Mickey Mouse, Hello Kitty and feature image). Historically, pinnas offered a popular form of corporal punishment and a quick sketch of evil-doers in 19th century German literature (“What big ears you have, Grandma”). And that’s about it.1 Audiologists tend to view the ear inside-out, focusing on inner ear sound processing functionality

Ears Gone Wild   With the proliferation of voice assistants talking to an even greater proliferation of IoT devices, not to mention everybody talking at once, it’s a jungle out there. Orion Labs, among others, considers the advantages of facilitated linking of user devices to other communication devices so wearers can figure out what’s up in group situations (#10402612).  In

by Amyn M Amlani, PhD In hearing healthcare, price continues to be a hot-button topic of discussion among consumers, providers, advocacy groups, legislators, professional organizations, and manufacturers of consumer electronic products and traditional hearing aids. The fundamental issue is that consumers and their supporters believe the costs associated with and the value received in treating impaired hearing are misaligned. This

by Amyn M Amlani, PhD The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 432 million adults, globally, exhibit “disabled” impaired hearing, where disabled is defined as audiometric thresholds greater than 40 dB in the better ear. An additional estimated 1.1 billion listeners worldwide—ranging in age between 12 and 35 years—are at-risk of demonstrating impaired hearing because of high-level exposure stemming from

Dick Tracy’s uber futuristic two-way wristwatch radio looks quaint today when one considers patent ideas like #D856328 .  Think of all the crimes Mr Tracy could solve as well as solutions for all that ails us if he’d been equipped with an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink-wristwatch-&-earbuds-included-device envisioned by that patent’s equally long title:  “Wearable artificial intelligence (AI) data processing, augmented reality, virtual reality,

Got Ear?   The pinna, concha and external meatus are wonderful things for hands-free carry, fitness, entertainment and environment awareness. The cochlea is a wonderous thing for hearing, no matter how you get to it. In distal order of anatomy:  Pinna as carrying case: consider patent #10382851 for an “Ear-wearable wireless communication flashlight,” when hearing is just not enough. (feature

by Kate Baldocchi, AuD & Amyn M. Amlani, PhD The hearing aid industry has experienced remarkable technological advancements in signal processing capabilities over the past two decades. During this same time, the profession of audiology has increased its efforts to act on the needs of consumers (e.g., patient-centered care), have systems in place (e.g., evidenced-based practice [EBP]), and follow them

This month’s patent crop once again drives home the impression that hearing aids are only one version of innovative tinkering around the ear. Consider GN Hearing’s interesting patent #10327071, intriguingly entitled “Head-wearable hearing device.” Consider that title: where else but the head would a hearing device go? And why device instead of hearing aid?    Words Matter   GN is

by David Maidment, PhD In August 2017, President Trump signed into law the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Reauthorization Act, which included the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Act. The primary intention of the Act is to improve accessibility and affordability to hearing healthcare in adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. The FDA has one more year (by August 2020)