Hearing Economics

Big Tech has had the ear in its sights since AirPods became the big consumer electronics thing. They’re now sighting in on specific features of hearing and hearing loss. As examples: Meta Platform’s patents #11575999 (Systems and methods for hearing assessment and audio adjustment) and  #11589176 (Calibrating an audio system using a user’s auditory steady state response) Apple’s patent #11595766

A bunch of fun and useful patents jump-started 2023 in January. Here’s a sampling. Breath in, Breath out, Watch Your Heart Rate Starkey patent #11540743, Ear-worn devices with deep breathing assistance, describes a method for guiding deep breathing. Starkey patent #11570562, Hearing assistance device fitting based on heart rate sensor, uses heart rate to guide you to “reseat or adjust

No need to pay attention, just check in with your ear once in awhile Eolas envisions a device system that goes the extra mile and will probably control your every moment once it gets to know you. Patent #11540093 notes that it’s hard for parties to keep track of all that’s said in a conversation so critical information may be

Another Pandemic-Inspired Innovation Zoom fatigue was with all of us during the pandemic and may become endemic as we prefer to individualize our workplaces. T-Mobile is here to help with patent #11502861 Simulated auditory space for online meetings. The title sounds a little Zoomy, but T-Mobile gets the problem and sees a better path ahead to enable our preferences. Here’s

iAudiologist Several October patents aim to automate tasks formerly performed by humans in audiology and ENT offices. To wit: Zipline Health’s #11471035 (Ear ailment diagnostic device and method) comprises an earpiece/light source, magnifying lens, air conduction channel, camera, optional thermometer and/or tympanometer, all coupled to a smart phone, thus allowing patients to benefit from accurate and effective diagnosis of ear

While technological advances continue to evolve the world of hearing devices, other technologies delve closer to the core problem by considering methods to nip the hearing problem in the bud, thereby alleviating the need for some devices that limit themselves to hearing correction. Here are a few nip-in-the-bud patents in this month’s list:  #11433073 by Ting Therapeutics reports on treatment

An Innovative Approach to the Signal to Noise Problem   Microsoft’s patent #11410426 aims to raise small talk to middle talk in electronic meeting recordings and transcripts by eliminating user utterances that are difficult and time consuming to review. As the patent wryly observes, the vast majority of recorded content is of low importance to users.  Imagine a future where

Making It Real Verizon’s patent #11386903 seeks to improve speech in artificial worlds, where understanding speech turns out to be just as hard as in daily life As in the real world, certain artificial reality worlds may immerse users in complex and chaotic audio environments. For instance, an artificial reality world may include a significant number of people speaking at

Minding Our Auditory Manners OtoUSA’s patent #1367348 aims to outfit traffic signals to automate and improve IDing and chastising those who scorn noise ordinances on the road: “for a mobile audio signal source which makes loud noise at arbitrary places and time, for example illegally modified car, old vehicle or speeding motorcycle, it is hard to give evidence, or a

Just doin’ their thangs Amazon and Apple came up with earbud designs this month (respectively, D951236 & D950526). It took two inventors to create Amazon’s bud while Apple’s took a whopping 20. Will Apple’s design be 10 times better, does Amazon make their inventors work 10 times as hard, or probably none of the above? Bragi continues to do interesting things