Recent PSAP and OTC Studies Warrant Cautious Interpretation
With mounting anxiety over direct-to-consumer Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAP) quality and availability, a few studies, published mainly in the non-refereed journals and online, have systematically evaluated their electroacoustic characteristics relative to hearing aids. The growing list of published studies comparing PSAP performance to that of modern hearing aids includes work from Northwestern University, Johns…
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Bose Conducts Limited Launch of New Wireless Amplified Earphones
Twenty-sixteen is shaping up to be a remarkable year in the evolution of wireless audio technology, sometimes called hearables. Last January, Starkey Hearing Technology announced a strategic partnership with the hearable company, Bragi. During the year we saw a slew of wireless earphones enter the market, including one from Resound’s sister company, Jabra, the Here…
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ADA Supports OTC Hearing Aid Bill; AAA Applauds FDA Decision to Eliminate Waiver
In a move that perhaps caught some in the audiology community by surprise, the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) announced its support of S.9, the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2016. In a statement released by ADA, it said that the organization “commends Senators Warren and Grassley for their foresight in introducing and advancing…
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Public Comments to FDA Provide Valuable Insights on PSAP Fray
SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND — During the April 21 FDA public workshop several key stakeholders weighed in on the issues surrounding the regulation of hearing aids and PSAPs. And, as per usual, in true democratic fashion, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) will take public comments into consideration before making final decisions. According to their…
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Sony Launches Xperia Ear Hearable at MWC; Google Said to Unveil Its Own Hearable Soon
BARCELONA — While much of the hearing industry has been anticipating the official announcement of Samsung’s Earcle PSAP, or hearing aid, at this year’s 2016 Mobile World Congress (MWC), instead it was Sony announcing Monday at the event that it was officially entering the hearable market with the launch of its new Xperia Ear device. The Ear is part…
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REVEALED: Samsung PSAP ‘Earcle’ User’s Manual, Images, and Other Documents Surface
SEOUL , SOUTH KOREA — A new report out yesterday has added further confirmation regarding months of rumors surrounding Samsung’s possible launch into the hearing aid industry. In a report by Gina Smith at aNewDomain, she discusses what was found within newly-obtained FCC documents, which were filed by Samsung in October and December 2015. According to Smith, there are two…
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When, Not if: More Disruptors Entering the Hearing Marketplace
On the heels of Starkey’s announcement of their industry-first partnership with the upstart hearable company, Bragi, more news of other products entering into the ear-level amplification space are emerging. As early as February 21st, hearing care professionals just might get a peek at a new hearing aid option for their patients. In a report from April 2015, Samsung…
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Samsung Hearing Aid Rumors Heat Up: Reports Claim Company Nearing Official Launch
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — After months of silence following reports in April 2015 that consumer electronics titan Samsung was planning to launch its own hearing aid, to coincide with the release of its next flagship Galaxy S7 smartphone, a number of reports surfaced last week that suggest Samsung may be readying its official launch into the hearing…
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Institute of Medicine panel seeks ways to make hearing care more accessible and affordable
By David H. Kirkwood WASHINGTON, DC—As part of an ambitious, two-year study to identify ways to make hearing health care (HHC) for adults more accessible and affordable, a 13-member ad hoc committee of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) will hold a daylong open session on Monday, April 27. IOM, the health arm of the National…
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Consumer Electronics Association calls PSAPs an affordable alternative to hearing aids
By David H. Kirkwood ARLINGTON, VA—A Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) report concludes that personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) “offer a viable solution to hearing aids for consumers who have hearing difficulty.” It continues, “While consumers who suffer from more severe hearing difficulties may still require hearing aids, PSAPs offer a simpler and often less expensive…
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