PERTH, AUSTRALIA — Australian hearing health company, Nuheara (ASX:NUH) and Oto, the UK based digital health company for tinnitus support, have announced “the world’s first collaboration to provide digital-led, tech-enabled support for people affected by tinnitus”.
The collaboration brings together Nuheara’s award-winning IQbuds² MAX hearing buds, which enable users to personalize and augment their hearing using smartphones and tablets, with Oto’s mobile app that compiles and consolidates the latest therapy techniques to maximize quality of life for people with tinnitus.
Addressing Tinnitus
Tinnitus is reportedly more common than hearing loss. A new study published by The Lancet in January 2022, shows that almost 15% of people in Europe have tinnitus, which is estimated to be close to 65 million.1 The World Health Organization reports as many as 42.7% of the global population experience tinnitus, a condition that can have a significant impact on mental health and quality of life.2
Tinnitus is not well understood and according to the American Tinnitus Association there are more than 200 different health conditions associated with its development.3 The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance recommends digital cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as first line therapy for tinnitus-related distress, however until Oto was launched, there has never been a definitive solution.
“Since we launched IQbuds in 2016 we have found that for some people with tinnitus, our technology has been beneficial. Now with the Oto Tinnitus App collaboration, Nuheara’s customers will be able enjoy science-backed digital tinnitus support when they purchase the IQbuds² MAX/Oto bundle. Given more people experience tinnitus than hearing loss, this exciting collaboration means Nuheara can touch more people with an innovative hearing health solution.”
–Justin Miller, CEO and co-founder Nuheara
Commenting on the new announcements, former military and NHS doctor and Oto co-founder Dr. Edmund Farrar said: “Our joint initiative with Nuheara, a pioneer and global leader in state-of-the-art hearable technology, is an important step for Oto and for the tinnitus community. Together we’ll be able to reach more people and help them to live their best life, uninterrupted by tinnitus thanks to best-in-class technology and Oto’s digital support platform.”
Nuheara will be selling IQbuds² MAX along with a 12-month Oto subscription to its customers in a bundle on the Nuheara ecommerce store.
For more information on the collaboration visit the Nuheara tinnitus page.
ABOUT NUHEARA
Nuheara is a global leader in smart hearing technology which change people’s lives by enhancing the power to hear. Nuheara has developed proprietary, multi-functional, personalised intelligent hearing devices that augments a person’s hearing. Nuheara is headquartered in Perth, Australia and was the first consumer wearables technology company to be listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).
In 2016, the Company released its revolutionary wireless earbuds, IQbuds, which allow consumers to augment their hearing according to their personal hearing preferences and connect hands free with their voice-enabled smart devices. In 2020 Nuheara released its third generation IQbuds² MAX. Nuheara products are now sold Direct to Consumer (DTC) and in major consumer electronics retailers, professional hearing clinics, pharmacies and optical chains around the world.
ABOUT OTO
Oto is transforming the delivery of support for tinnitus, using accessible, science-backed and evidence-based digital tools. Tinnitus is commonly left unmanaged or poorly managed which causes significant distress for those living with the condition.
Oto is a digital health start-up that helps people access evidence-based treatment for overlooked and underserved chronic conditions. Our first product provides psychological support to anyone with tinnitus – a condition affecting 1 in 7 people, characterised by ringing in the ears. Its team of doctors, audiologists, therapists, voice artists, sound engineers and researchers have decades of experience in helping people with tinnitus and insight from all walks of life. The company’s vision is simple: to be the definitive solution for overlooked chronic conditions.
Its co-founders include tinnitus patients themselves and former military doctors Dr Edmund Farrar, Dr George Leidig and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon Dr Jameel Muzaffar.
- https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(21)00236-2/fulltext
- https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/world-report-on-hearing
- https://www.ata.org/understanding-facts/causes
Source: Nuheara
