New Ways of Thinking
With OTCs on the near horizon, players of various types and motivations continue to enter the mild to moderate hearing loss landscape. That includes Georgia Tech, with a patent for a hearing aid platform which is
Cost effective, such that low-income individuals in developing countries have access to these important technologies, is customizable based on the particular needs and personality of the individual, so the social stigma of wearing the device is at least partially removed. (rough paraphrase from patent 11070929).
Meanwhile, IBM is thinking outside of the ear on the opposite end of the hearing spectrum, considering a novel alternative to cochlear implants for severe to profound hearing loss.
Looking for a non-invasive approach to improve comfort and reduce risk and cost, IBM’s patent 11076246 proposes an eye-mounted hearing aid (see Figure). The rationale for using the eyeball is to feel rather than see sound:
The cornea of the eye is a highly sensitive area of the body. The cornea contains a high density of mechanoreceptors that can transmit signals to the brain when, for example, the receptors detect contact of a surface the eye or a change in the nature of contact with the surface of the eye.
The July 2021 patent list
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
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System and method for adjusting the volume of auditory stimulation during sleep based on sleep depth latencies |
Koninklijke Philips NV (Eindhoven, NL) |
7/06/2021 |
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In-ear headphone device with active noise control |
Tymphany Acoustic Technology (Huizhou) Co Ltd (Huizhou, CN) |
7/06/2021 |
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Method and device for in ear canal echo suppression |
Staton Techiya LLC (Lighthouse Point, FL) |
7/06/2021 |
|
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Devices and methods for hearing |
EarLens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) |
7/06/2021 |
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Hearing device, a sound receiving arrangement, a set of parts and a hearing device system |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
7/06/2021 |
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Remote microphone devices for auditory prostheses |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
7/06/2021 |
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|
Own voice detection in hearing instrument devices |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
7/06/2021 |
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|
Hearing aid for people having asymmetric hearing loss |
Ear Tech LLC (Indianapolis, IN) |
7/06/2021 |
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Hearing aid antenna for high-frequency data communication |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
7/06/2021 |
|
|
Systems and methods for fitting a hearing device |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
7/06/2021 |
|
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Communication device with position-dependent spatial source generation, communication system, and related method |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
7/06/2021 |
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Ear inspection device and method of determining a condition of a subject’s ear |
Helen of Troy Limited (St Michael, BB) |
7/13/2021 |
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Wearable customized ear canal apparatus |
EarLens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) |
7/13/2021 |
|
|
Therapeutic agents for inner ear hearing impairment |
Keio University (Tokyo, JP) |
7/13/2021 |
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Manufacturing an electrode array for a stimulating medical device |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
7/13/2021 |
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|
Hearing device with communication logging and related method |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
7/13/2021 |
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Communication device and methods for use by hearing impaired |
Ultratec Inc (Madison, WI) |
7/13/2021 |
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|
Sound level control for hearing assistive devices |
BITwave Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
7/13/2021 |
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|
Method and apparatus for a binaural hearing assistance system using monaural audio signals |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
7/13/2021 |
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|
Bellows vibration body and hearing aid comprising same |
Kyungpook National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation (Daegu, KR) |
7/13/2021 |
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|
Hearing aid adapted for embedded electronics |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
7/13/2021 |
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|
Systems and methods for using a selectively configurable interface assembly to program a hearing device |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
7/13/2021 |
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Reducing effect of magnetic and electromagnetic fields on an implant’s magnet and/or electronics |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
7/13/2021 |
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|
Devices and methods for treating ear pain |
Try This First Inc (Walnut Creek, CA) |
7/20/2021 |
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|
Hearing assistance device comprising an implantable part |
Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) |
7/20/2021 |
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Selecting a microphone based on estimated proximity to sound source |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
7/20/2021 |
|
|
Communication device and methods for use by hearing impaired |
Ultratec Inc (Madison, WI) |
7/20/2021 |
|
|
Contact hearing system with wearable communication apparatus |
Earlens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) |
7/20/2021 |
|
|
Method of operating a hearing aid system and a hearing aid system |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
7/20/2021 |
|
|
Method for directional signal processing for a hearing aid and hearing system |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
7/20/2021 |
|
|
Method and apparatus for hearing improvement based on cochlear model |
Goldenear Company Inc (Valencia, CA) |
7/20/2021 |
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Hearing device for receiving location information from wireless network |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
7/20/2021 |
|
|
Damping in contact hearing systems |
Earlens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) |
7/20/2021 |
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Hearing device and a method for manufacturing thereof |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
7/20/2021 |
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|
Low-cost hearing aid platforms and methods of use |
Georgia Tech Research Corporation (Atlanta, GA) |
7/20/2021 |
|
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Wireless earbud with package box |
Shenzhen Chuangshenyuan Technology Co Ltd (Shenzhen, CN) |
7/20/2021 |
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|
Earbud |
Amazon Technologies Inc (Seattle, WA) |
7/20/2021 |
|
|
Advanced electrode array location evaluation |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
7/27/2021 |
|
|
Implantable device having removable portion |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
7/27/2021 |
|
|
Horn assembly and dual-listening bluetooth headset |
Shenzhen Alex Technology Co Ltd (Shenzhen, CN) |
7/27/2021 |
|
|
Terminal with hearing aid setting, and setting method for hearing aid |
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co Ltd (Suwon-si, KR) |
7/27/2021 |
|
|
Hearing instrument having a digitally tunable antenna |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
7/27/2021 |
|
|
Ball and socket connection with an acoustic seal and mounting interface for a hearing assistance device |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
7/27/2021 |
|
|
Eye-mounted hearing aid |
International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY) |
7/27/2021 |
|
|
Computer performance of executing binaural sound |
Applicants: Lyren, Philip Scott (Bangkok, TH) & Norris, Glen A (Tokyo, JP) |
7/27/2021 |
|
|
Converting ambisonic audio to binaural audio |
EmbodyVR Inc (San Mateo, CA) |
7/27/2021 |
|
|
Earbud |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
7/27/2021 |
|
|
Earbud |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
7/27/2021 |
Holly Hosford-Dunn, PhD, owned and operated a dispensing audiology practice in Tucson and was active in management of HearingHealthMatters.org through 2017. She holds BA degrees in Communication Sciences, Psychology and Economics; MA in Communication Disorders; PhD in Hearing Sciences. Following post-doctoral work at Max Planck Institute (Munich, DE) and Eaton-Peabody Auditory Physiology Lab (Boston), she joined the Stanford medical school faculty as director of audiology. She has authored/edited numerous text books, chapters, journals, and articles and taught Marketing and Practice Management in a variety of academic settings. She continues to consult and write on topics related to hearing health care vis-à-vis consumer demands, professional training, technological advancement, capital investment, industry consolidation, regulatory control, product and service distribution, and strategic pricing.
