Hearing News Watch

May. 15, 2012

Robert Briskey dies; was among the first audiologists to work in industry

David Kirkwood
Robert J. Briskey, a pioneer in audiology and among the first in his profession to work in the manufacturing sector, died on May 12 at age 87. A native of Detroit, he received his MA from Wayne State University in 1947, and was a member of the faculty there until 1952, when he became director of an audiology clinic that
May. 09, 2012

Bob Sandlin, the popular founder of the International Hearing Aid Seminars, dies

David Kirkwood
The following obituary for Robert Sandlin, PhD, is derived in large part from The Hearing Review, and appears here with the kind permission of that publication. For further tributes to Dr. Sandlin, see this week’s post at Wayne’s World, and look for an upcoming post at Hearing Views.   Robert E. Sandlin, PhD, one of audiology’s best known and most beloved figures,
May. 09, 2012

Composer finds new technology strategies to deal with his hearing loss

David Kirkwood
For many years, Richard Einhorn has been best known as one of America’s leading composers. But recently, he is gaining fame as a resourceful hearing aid wearer who is learning to take advantage of technology beyond amplification. Last fall, The New York Times and The Washington Post both ran articles that reported on the joy Einhorn felt when hearing loops allowed him
May. 08, 2012

Hearing aid sales to hi HealthInnovations help put IntriCon back in the black

David Kirkwood
ARDEN HILLS, MN—While a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has put a hitch, at least temporarily, in hi HealthInnovations’ (HI) online hearing testing and hearing aid dispensing program, the company that manufactures the devices for HI is thriving. IntriCon Corporation reported that its sales increased by 20% in the first quarter of 2012 over 2011. And,
May. 05, 2012

Hearing View author’s book offers inspiration for overcoming hearing loss

David Kirkwood
Melissa K. Rodriguez, BC-HIS, who wrote the April 4 Hearing Views post at Hearinghealthmatters.org, is the author of the newly published book Hear Your Life: Inspiring Stories and Honest Advice for Overcoming Hearing Loss. Rodriguez, the daughter of a Beltone dispenser, obtained her license to fit hearing aids soon after graduating from high school, and earned her National Board Certification in 1995.
May. 02, 2012

Manufacturers group asks FDA to crack down on crypto-hearing aids

David Kirkwood
By David H. Kirkwood WASHINGTON, DC—The Hearing Industries Association (HIA) has called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start enforcing its regulations governing hearing aids, even when the devices are ostensibly “personal sound amplification devices” or PSAPs. In an April 19 letter to Steven Silverman, director of the Office of Compliance at FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological
Apr. 30, 2012

Tiny microphone may lead to a totally internal cochlear implant system

David Kirkwood
SALT LAKE CITY—Every year, hearing aids get smaller and less conspicuous. Indeed, several manufacturers are now marketing devices that they categorize as IIEs, invisible-in-the-ear hearing aids. Now, it appears, cochlear implants may also be on the path to invisibility. In current systems, the microphone, speech processor, and radio transmitter coil must be worn outside the head because they are too
Apr. 25, 2012

hi HealthInnovations hopes to revive online hearing test, while hearing professionals cheer FDA’s action

David Kirkwood
By David H. Kirkwood hi HealthInnovations, which recently removed a controversial online hearing test from its web site after receiving a strong warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (see our April 18 issue), hopes to resume offering that option to consumers soon. So stated Will Shanley, the director of public relations for hi HealthInnovations’ parent company, UnitedHealthcare, in a
Apr. 24, 2012

Better hearing on the job drives higher productivity and profit, says BHI

David Kirkwood
WASHINGTON, DC–May is Better Hearing Month, a great time for hearing professionals to spread awareness in their communities of the importance of hearing one’s best. And, when it comes to accurate and useful information on hearing, how to protect it, and how to address hearing loss, there’s no better source than the Better Hearing Institute (BHI). BHI is a not-for-profit
Apr. 23, 2012

Advocacy group to receive AG Bell’s Volta Award

David Kirkwood
CARY, NC—An organization that has been providing emotional support and information to families with deaf or hard-of-hearing children will receive this year’s Volta Award from the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell). BEGINNINGS for Parents of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in North Carolina will receive the prestigious honor on