WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate has advanced its Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations bill, which includes $7.5 million in Army Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation funding to enhance hearing protection and communications technology for military personnel.
Aware Custom Biometric Wearables (Aware) collaborated with members of Georgia’s congressional delegation to secure the funding, which will support the fielding of advanced hearing protection systems. The technology is based on 3D digital scans of the ear canal, enabling the delivery of custom in-ear devices designed to protect soldiers operating in high-noise environments.
The U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier will evaluate the system across multiple training and operational units. The evaluation will include digital scanners, custom in-ear protection solutions adapted for different noise environments, and integration with communications equipment, helmets, and other over-the-ear devices.
“We are honored to partner with the U.S. Army to revolutionize military hearing protection for our warfighters. Hearing loss is the number one service-connected disability, and Aware is delivering solutions to prevent it — setting a new standard for protection and performance. Because every ear is different, our 3D ear scanner delivers precision-built protection and communications for mission-critical environments, and our Hearable with continuous multimodal monitoring represents the next generation of in-ear innovation.”
–Sam Kellett, Jr., CEO of Aware
Hearing loss remains the most prevalent service-connected disability among veterans, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, with related costs exceeding $4 billion annually. Aware’s dual-use technology aims to provide tens of thousands of custom-fit protection sets for U.S. service members, with potential applications in civilian industries where workers face similar risks from hazardous noise exposure.
Aware products are already in use across Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command units. The company has previously received support through the Department of Defense’s Small Business Innovation Research program and recognition from organizations such as the Office of Naval Research, CES Innovation Awards, and the Healthcare Innovation World Cup.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Aware operates a Hearable Lab in San Diego, CA, and maintains facilities in Quitman, GA, and Madison, FL. The company plans to expand operations in South Georgia, including a new facility in Quitman that will create advanced manufacturing and technical jobs while supporting local workforce development.
The newly secured funds build on prior Department of Defense and industry investments that helped Aware develop and deploy custom in-ear solutions for hearing protection, communications, and biometric monitoring.
Source: Aware
