Hearing News Watch

GALVESTON, TEXAS — In a newly published study in the journal Pediatrics, researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) have found that ear infection rates among young children in the US are on the decline.  The results, suggest researchers, are likely due to increases in vaccinations and breastfeeding. In the study, researchers followed more than 360 families with infants from 2008 to

TAMPA, FLORIDA — A Florida licensed audiologist was sentenced to 94 months in prison on March 21st, according to a US Justice Department news release, for her participation in a multimillion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme. According the Justice Department, Terri Schneider, of Lakeland, Florida, was sentenced in the Middle District Court of Florida, where the judge also ordered her

BETHESDA, MARYLAND –  The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Board of Trustees announced, in a March 21st press release, the appointment of Barbara Kelley as the new Executive Director of HLAA. Kelley, who served as acting Executive Director following the resignation of Anna Gilmore Hall in January, has been with the organization for 28 years. Previously, she served as deputy Executive Director

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Samsung has unveiled yet another set of technologies developed by its secretive C-Lab, this time at the SXSW festival in Texas. One of the most interesting of its latest projects is a new headset called Entrim 4D, which enhances the experience of virtual reality (VR) by using electrical stimulation of the inner ear, known as Galvanic Vestibular

Audiology has yet again landed in the top 10 “Least Stressful” jobs for another year. Out of more than 200 jobs, CareerCast.com puts audiology at number 8 in 2016, with a job stress score of 9.3 out of a scale of 1 to 85. Somehow, inexplicably, scoring as less stressful than librarian (whose stress score is 10.58). While audiology no longer holds

Technical experts claim the nation may run out of the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum, resulting in a wireless traffic jam with more data being transported over Wi−Fi than any other medium. Most consumers encounter this traffic jam when attempting to download mobile content in densely populated settings, such as airport terminals, apartment buildings, college campuses, or a favorite coffee shop.

KONGBAKKEN, DENMARK — Less than six months following Sonova’s announcement that its next generation of hearing instruments would include 2.4 GHz connectivity in late 2016 or early 2017, William Demant Holdings announced last week that Oticon’s soon-to-be-released hearing device will include 2.4 GHz connectivity. The company’s new 2.4GHz capable hearing aid is expected to be released at the end of the second

OTTAWA, ONTARIO — Clearwater Clinical, a Canadian medical device company that recently developed an adapter (Clearscope) that connects an endoscope to a smartphone to allow physicians the ability record endoscopy procedures directly on their smartphones rather than having to rely on a traditional video tower, wants to develop a self-directed hearing test to help individuals currently underserved by audiologists. In a recent Medcity

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — On Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a new report, “Childhood hearing loss: act now, here’s how“.  The report coincides with the upcoming World Hearing Day on March 3, attempting to raise awareness that 32 million children worldwide live with disabling hearing loss and suggesting that 60% of that estimate (more than 19 million) could be prevented. The report also outlines

WASHINGTON, DC — Last October, US Congressman Matt Salmon (R-AZ) introduced the Hearing Protection Act of 2015, HR 3799, along with 10 co-sponsors. Since that time, it has gained an additional 42 co-sponsors, including Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) and John Ratcliffe (R-TX) last week. The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate the $200 transfer tax on firearm