US Ear Device Patents in February 2019
Talk to the Hand Puppet Patent #10200773 envisions a simple but clever fix for a vexing noise problem common to all handsfree phone communicators, especially those with hearing loss and hearing aids. When you speak on a call, the phone’s mic picks up your voice along with all other environmental noise competition. The phone…
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US Ear Device Patents in January 2019
Hearing Economics is always scouting out new ways for in-ear devices to multitask for the general good of mankind. Emerging technologies in new patents provide fertile ground and occasional low hanging fruit. Here are a few thoughts for future in-ear apps, taken from January patent offerings. Beauty: In the Ear of the Listener or…
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Utilizing Risk Preference to Quantify Patient Purchase Intent of Audiological Services and Technology
by Amyn M Amlani, PhD A few weeks back, I spent the afternoon shopping for clothes with my 14-year-old daughter. As we made the rounds at the local mall, I was surprised at how elaborate a consumer my daughter had become. Outfits that I assumed were a “slam-dunk” purchase were rejected, and other outfits…
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US Ear Device Patents in December 2018
Ear devices, like other wearables, continue to track multifunctionality. Two cases offer new opportunities for future add-on features and connectivity: Muzik Inc.’s wireless earbuds (Fig 1, USPTO #D835602) are indeed wireless but that’s where their resemblance to earbuds-as-we-know-them ends. Intead, they use the head as shelf space for an onboard power supply and integrated speakers, with plenty of…
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Metaphor Monologues: The Quest for Effective Treatment Options that Won’t Kill Us
The last monologue post, back in October, presented Plan B — palliative pricing in an unbundled traditional dispensing model–as a spring board for treatment, if not cure, of audiology’s “cost disease.” The disease metaphor was coined by famous economist William Baumol to frame the price problem faced by industries/professions where cost of technology decreases over…
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