Hearing News Watch

Jun. 20, 2012

Hearing better on the bus; Michigan company is nation’s first to loop its fleet

David Kirkwood
OWOSSO, MI–The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Indian Trails, Inc., have teamed up to install induction loops, also known as hearing loops, on a fleet of 17 motor coaches that operate 34 scheduled routes throughout Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas. “I’m quite sure this is the first American bus line with hearing loops,” said David G. Myers, PhD, a
Jun. 20, 2012

VA pilot program tests feasibility of expanded tele-audiology services

David Kirkwood
WASHINGTON, DC—The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a national tele-audiology pilot program that it hopes will lay the groundwork for a permanent program to improve veterans’ access to audiologic care. In the pilot program, a computer network is used to transmit and regulate sound waves from an audiologist in one location to an office in a remote location.
Jun. 19, 2012

World Health Organization adopts ideas from Ida in a new textbook for physicians

David Kirkwood
NÆRUM, DENMARK–When the Ida Institute was established here in 2008, its mission was “to foster a better understanding of the human dynamics associated with hearing loss.” While that was a plenty ambitious goal, now the institute’s work is beginning to have an even wider impact than originally envisioned. The World Health Organization (WHO) has just published an educational textbook, Engage
Jun. 15, 2012

European Inventor Awards go to trio of scientists from Widex

David Kirkwood
COPENHAGEN—Three scientists from Widex A/S, a prominent Danish-based hearing aid manufacturer, were announced yesterday (June 14) as winners of the sixth annual European Inventor Awards. Presented by the European Patent Office, these prestigious honors recognize outstanding inventors for their contributions to social, economic, and technological progress. Jan Tøpholm, Søren Westermann, and Svend Vitting Andersen were honored in the industry category
Jun. 12, 2012

Research offers hope of improved treatment of tinnitus

David Kirkwood
Recent reports suggest that scientists are making progress in their efforts to better understand and treat tinnitus, the ringing in the ears that is a common cause of distress among people of all ages:   SPECIALIZED APPROACH WORKS BETTER THAN STANDARD TINNITUS TREATMENT MAASTRICHT, NETHERLANDS—A team of researchers based at Maastricht University has found a multi-faceted approach to tinnitus to
Jun. 06, 2012

New imaging device may lead to improved treatment of chronic ear infections

David Kirkwood
CHAMPAIGN, lL—Otitis media, an infection of the middle ear, is one of the most common causes of temporary hearing loss among children. The condition often interferes with their ability to learn. Moreover, children who suffer from chronic ear infections that are not properly treated run the risk of developing permanent hearing loss That’s why new technology designed to improve the
Jun. 05, 2012

Students’ concept for mobile hearing screening wins a global competition

David Kirkwood
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA–Someday, maybe soon, expect to see software that enables a mobile phone to screen a person for hearing loss and then wirelessly transmit the results to a medical database, where an audiologist analyzes them. This is the idea behind the Sana AudioPulse technology, devised by students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in partnership with Brazil’s Federal
Jun. 04, 2012

“Let’s Loop America” leader will share good news at HLAA Convention 2012

David Kirkwood
PROVIDENCE, RI—Members of the Hearing Loss Association of America® will learn about the dramatic increase in the availability of hearing loops in this country when they attend the opening session of  HLAA’s 2012 Convention, slated for June 21 at 5 pm in Providence. The keynote speaker will be David G. Myers, PhD, who as leader of the “Let’s Loop America”
May. 31, 2012

Link in to the sights and sounds of hearing loops

David Kirkwood
Here are two links for June, sent to Hearinghealthmatters.org by our friend Dave Myers, one of America’s leading advocates for hearing loops. To share the joy of a nine-year-old girl’s first experience with a hearing loop in her home TV room, click here. To appreciate the benefit that a loop system provides to parishioners at at Trinity Episcopal Church in
May. 30, 2012

When a little boy won’t wear his hearing aids, a superhero comes to the rescue

David Kirkwood
SALEM, NH—Meet Blue Ear, the latest Marvel superhero. And, while he has superpowers, Blue Ear also has a hearing loss–until he puts on a special listening device that gives him super-sonic hearing. Blue Ear isn’t the first Marvel character with a hearing loss. Hawkeye, who lost his hearing in a battle with Crossfire in the 1980s, is featured in The