Hearing News Watch

Featured image for “Bill would create a demonstration program for deaf/hard-of-hearing U.S. Air Force members”
Apr. 08, 2015

Bill would create a demonstration program for deaf/hard-of-hearing U.S. Air Force members

David Kirkwood
    By David H. Kirkwood WASHINGTON, DC—Since its enactment in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has made public accommodations, telecommunications technology, and the workplace more accessible to countless people with hearing loss. For example, just last month, the New York Police Department, following the lead of departments around the country, opened its doors to police officers who
Featured image for “Scientist, who overcame deafness, wins Presidential award for encouraging others to follow his path”
Apr. 06, 2015

Scientist, who overcame deafness, wins Presidential award for encouraging others to follow his path

David Kirkwood
  WASHINGTON, DC—J. Tilak Ratnanather, PhD, a scientist who was born deaf and has devoted himself to encouraging others with hearing loss to become scientists, mathematicians, and engineers, is one of 14 educators selected to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). The awards, announced by the White House on March 27, recognize the
Featured image for “Exploding head syndrome: A frightening phenomenon that’s surprisingly common”
Apr. 01, 2015

Exploding head syndrome: A frightening phenomenon that’s surprisingly common

David Kirkwood
PULLMAN, WA—If you’ve ever been startled from your sleep by the loud sound of non-existent noises, you are not alone. In what may have sounded like an early April Fool’s Day hoax to some but was not, Washington State University (WSU) issued a press release on March 30 reporting that researchers there “have found that an unexpectedly high percentage of
Featured image for “Four audiologists, an engineer, and a neuroscientist are awarded AAA’s highest honors”
Mar. 31, 2015

Four audiologists, an engineer, and a neuroscientist are awarded AAA’s highest honors

David Kirkwood
 SAN ANTONIO–The youngest founder of the American Academy of Audiology (AAA), the director of one of the world’s leading acoustical research laboratories, and a researcher whose publications have been cited in the scientific literature more than 1800 times were among those recognized at the Honors and Awards Banquet held March 26 during AudiologyNOW! 2015, the academy’s annual convention. One of
Featured image for “Medtronic and Sivantos both announce acquisitions of hearing care companies”
Mar. 30, 2015

Medtronic and Sivantos both announce acquisitions of hearing care companies

David Kirkwood
  ERLANGEN, GERMANY/DUBLIN–Last week was a busy one in the hearing industry’s merger and acquisition front. On March 26, the Sivantos Group (formerly Siemens Audiology Solutions) announced that it would take over all shares in audibene, as part of a strategic partnership and investment agreement with Europe’s largest Internet portal for hearing care case management.The next day, Medtronic, Inc., the
Featured image for “Hearing aid dispenser returns home safely after a harrowing mission to Venezuela”
Mar. 25, 2015

Hearing aid dispenser returns home safely after a harrowing mission to Venezuela

David Kirkwood
By David H. Kirkwood For the first few days of their mission to Venezuela everything was going smoothly for Arlynn Hefta, a hearing aid specialist from North Dakota, and the three other volunteers from Bethel Evangelical Free Church in Devils’s Lake, ND. This was the 62-year-old Hefta’s eighth mission to Venezuela, so when he and his fellow volunteers—Russ Petty, MD,
Featured image for “Frank Musiek, a trailblazer in electrophysiology, to chair Academy Research Conference”
Mar. 23, 2015

Frank Musiek, a trailblazer in electrophysiology, to chair Academy Research Conference

David Kirkwood
  Frank E. Musiek, PhD, a renowned expert in electrophysiology and central auditory processing disorders (CAPD) who oversees the Pathways section of the blog Hearing Health & Technology (HHTM), has been selected by the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) to chair the 2016 Academy Research Conference (ARC) to be held in Phoenix on April 12, just prior to the opening of
Featured image for “NYPD settles suit by lifting ban on cops using hearing aids”
Mar. 18, 2015

NYPD settles suit by lifting ban on cops using hearing aids

David Kirkwood
By David H. Kirkwood Two veteran New York Police Department (NYPD) officers’ 5-year legal battle to return to active duty wearing their hearing aids ended in victory on March 9 when they agreed to a settlement of the suit they had filed against the City of New York in 2010. It was a victory not only for Dan Carione and Sgt.
Featured image for “Drug store chain agrees to improve access for people with hearing loss”
Mar. 16, 2015

Drug store chain agrees to improve access for people with hearing loss

David Kirkwood
    NEW YORK—Customers with hearing loss will soon be able to communicate better with pharmacists at the 101 Kinney Drugs stores in New York State.   Under an agreement announced March 12 by NYS Attorney-General Eric Schneiderman, each Kinney Drugs store will provide assistive listening systems and qualified sign-language interpreters, as required by law. In addition, KPH Healthcare Services,
Mar. 15, 2015

Scott Davis of Sivantos is new HIA chairman

David Kirkwood
      WASHINGTON, DC—The announcement of the first Unison Hearing Health Global Summit was the biggest story to emerge from the 2015 annual meeting of the Hearing Industries Association (HIA) on March 6, but not the only news. The national trade association of manufacturers of hearing aids and related products elected Scott Davis as chairman of the Board. Davis,