The HearingTracker Podcast: Hearing Aids, Hearing Technology, and Hearing Loss

Did you know that a healthy social life is a better predictor of longevity than smoking, obesity, and alcohol consumption? In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei speaks with Brandy Heckroodt, the Audiology Development Manager at Phonak, about the connection between hearing loss, social connections, and general health. You'll learn how hearing loss can lead to social isolation and physical inactivity, which can ultimately lead to increased risk of general health problems like coronary heart disease and stroke. 

In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei speaks with Rick Radia, the Product and Partnership Manager at AudioTelligence. Based in Cambridge (England), AudioTelligence aims to solve the "Cocktail Party Problem" using its Aiso™ for Hearing, which combines Blind Source Separation (BSS) and low-latency noise suppression. Tune in to hear audio samples of Aiso™ for Hearing, and to find out how the technology might help you hear better in noisy environments. 

In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei talks to Dr. Don Schum, the Head of Audiology at Whisper. Based in San Francisco, Whisper manufactures hearing aids that remove background noise through "denoising", a process that relies on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). In the interview, Dr. Schum provides some history on Whisper's creation and mission, and explains—in layman's terms—how Whisper uses cutting-edge technologies to help Whisper owners hear better in background noise.

In today's episode of the HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei interviews Giles Tongue, CEO & Co-Founder at Chatable. Giles is passionate about conversation enhancement technology, and his company is a frontrunner in the race to revolutionize the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds for the 1.5 billion people who suffer from hearing loss globally. Tune in for an update on the state of the art, and to find out what to expect from this rapidly advancing field of technology.

In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei talks to two creative young entrepreneurs looking to revolutionize the way we hear. 

Nick Morgan-Jones, the founder of Decibels, wants to throw out the term "hearing aids" and make hearing aids less medical, more fashionable, and a lot more visible. Nick tried hearing aids for the first time when he was 10 years old, but the stigma of wearing hearing aids and going through the healthcare system was enough to put Nick off wearing hearing aids until adulthood. Decibels are a new kind of hearing enhancement device that Nick hopes will help to reposition the hearing aid as product people actually want to wear.

And Pedro Costa, the founder Auricle, asks "why is it that all high quality headphones always have to block our ears?" Pedro, along with his team in Copenhagen have invented a brand new type of earphones that rest clip onto the tragus of the ear and stimulate hearing through bone conduction. Pedro says you can "feel the beat literally" with Auricle, and that the open-ear design is safer in situations that require awareness, like biking.

In this episode of the HearingTracker podcast, host Steve Taddei interviews Justin Miller, CEO and cofounder of Nuheara. Based in Australia, Nuheara has been an innovator in the consumer wireless earbuds industry since 2016. With their latest product, IQBuds Max, Nuheara offers a robust direct-to-consumer hearing enhancement product, which is widely used as a solution for mild hearing loss. 

48 million Americans suffer from mild-to-moderate hearing loss. And only 14% of Americans with hearing loss currently own a hearing aid. As we move into a new era of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, and telehealth-facilitated hearing care, startups like Lexie and Nuheara are looking to capitalize by offering more convenient, more affordable hearing solutions. And, established industry players are also looking to get in the game too, with GN (ReSound's parent company) bringing a new self-fitting Jabra hearing aid to consumers. 

In today's episode we talk De Wet Swanepoel, Scientific Advisor at Lexie Hearing, about selling telehealth-supported FDA-registered hearing aids over the internet. We also check in with Justin Miller, Co-Founder and CEO at Nuheara, about his company's IQBuds, which offer personalized hearing amplification for under $500. We also talk to Laura Baney from GN, about the currently delayed Jabra Enhance Plus, which is a self-fitting hearing aid that GN plans to distribute through audiologists. 

Consumers now have more options than ever when it comes to shopping for hearing aids. And navigating those options isn't easy. In the last part of the episode, we talk to Heather Malyuk and Danny Aronson, from Tuned, a new startup that promises to help consumers understand the options through direct telehealth counseling.

In 2021, most hearing aids can be adjusted remotely, from the comfort and safety of your home. It's easy to connect with an audiologist through video-conferencing services like Zoom, to discuss your experiences and receive intimate private counseling. And there are even direct-to-consumer hearing aids that can be purchased over the internet, with follow-up services provided remotely by licensed hearing healthcare practitioners. 

Over the next few episodes, we’ll explore how new telehealth technologies in audiology might help you on your own personal hearing journey. In today's episode—the first in our telehealth mini-series—we talk to Dr Cliff Olson about the growth of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. We'll also talk to Dr De Wet Swanepoel, a Professor at the University of Pretoria (and founder at hearX Group), about how scientists are overcoming hearing healthcare accessibility challenges in Africa with the aid of new telehealth technologies. And more!

In today’s episode, we speak with two hearing aid experts to learn about wireless audio streaming in modern hearing aids. Today's hearing aids can stream multimedia and calls from your phone, but also have the ability to tap into shared audio streams through magnetic induction loops, or "hearing loops", which are installed in public spaces like auditoriums and churches. While hearing loops are the current state of the art, we'll also learn about the Bluetooth future of shared audio streams.

Today's guests include:

• Andrew Bellavia - Director of Market Development at Knowles Electronics, a supplier of hearing aid hardware.
• Dr. Juliëtte Sterkens - An audiologist and strong lifelong advocate for hearing loops and people with hearing loss.

In today’s episode, we spoke with Valerie James Abbott, the author of the children’s book Padapillo. Padapillo explores the emotional process family members often experience when a young child is unexpectedly diagnosed with hearing loss. Valerie shares her family’s real life journey too. After her daughter Bridget was diagnosed with hearing loss in preschool, the Abbott family did all they could to ensure Bridget's success.

Dr. Carmen Jamis, a pediatric and implant audiologist, also joins us on the episode to provide expert advice for families. Whether you suspect your child may have a hearing loss, or you’ve already begun the process of diagnosis and treatment, Dr. Jamis has advice you need to hear!

In today's episode, we talk to leaders from three prominent hearing loss and tinnitus support groups, Tinnitus Hub, Hands & Voices, and the Association of Late Deafened Adults. Whether you are suffering from the effects of hearing loss or tinnitus personally, or have a child or loved one experiencing hearing-related issues, today's episode is a great place to start. These groups are filled with supportive, caring, like-minded individuals, and we can't wait to share their stories with you!

The term "bionic" is defined by Oxford Languages as "having artificial body parts, especially electromechanical ones." In today's episode, we learn about a new type of hearing aid that converts everyday sounds into a series of unique vibrations. Our guest, neuroscientist Dr. David Eagleman, explains how our brains begin to "hear" these vibrations through a process called "sensory substitution". We also talk to cochlear implant wearer Richard Pocker, to learn about challenges of understanding sound again after a prolonged period of near-total deafness.

A link between COVID-19 and sudden hearing loss has begun to emerge. In this episode of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we speak directly with leading researchers to gain a better understanding of the connection. We also chat with someone who experienced a sudden hearing loss first-hand.

In this episode we are joined by Professor Kevin Munro PhD, MSc, Ewing Professor of Audiology, Director of the Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD), and Deputy Director of the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, who discusses the latest research into the connection between hearing loss and COVID-19. We are also joined by Francisco Alves de Sousa, who studied the hearing of patients with moderate-severe COVID-19 symptoms at the Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto, Portugal. 

Search Google for "Hearing Loss Cures" and you'll be inundated with pseudoscientific cures and other quackery. While there is currently no magic pill to cure your hearing problems, there are some legitimate science-backed hearing therapies that have begun to emerge over the past few years. In today's episode, we talk to leading pharmaceutical and digital hearing therapy providers to learn about the current and future prospects for improving your hearing without hearing aids.   

Thank you to Frequency Therapeutics and AudioCardio for their contributions to today's episode.

Science fiction has always depicted a future where humans and robots live side-by-side. We've seen stories where robots help with daily activities, return from the future, and others where humans obtain robotic body parts. Blurring the lines between human and machine altogether. Today, thanks to advancements in medical sciences, our reality isn't that far off from these once futuristic stories. And some of these advancements have allowed us to interface with our hearing system in an almost unthinkable way. On this episode, we spoke with Peter, who is a cochlear implant user. He talks about his journey to implantation and his hearing post-surgery. We are also joined by Dr. David Powell, who talks about the evaluation process and Dr. Chad Ruffin, who is a CI surgeon and CI user himself.

Steve Taddei: In season one, we spoke with movers and shakers to learn about hearing loss, new technologies, and the latest research. In those previous discussions, it was evident that we're living in an unprecedented time with amazing hearing technology ... technology that was unimaginable a few short years ago.

In case you missed it, we discussed the changing landscape with hearing aid coverage and insurances. Here's an excerpt from episode two with Dr. Cliff Olson.

Cliff Olson: We have a lot of these insurance companies going the third-party managed care route, where they're basically contracting with one of these companies. You've got TruHearing. You've got Amplifon, you've got Epic, you've got, you know, a couple of these other managed care companies that kind of farm out the insurance side of it. And outside of the managed care you have where they actually insure. So like Blue Cross Blue Shield, you know, they provide insurance to their members for hearing aid coverage to a varying degree. But at the end of the day, what it comes down to is that doesn't necessarily guarantee you the highest level of care possible.

Steve Taddei: We also spoke with leaders in hearing aid manufacturing, such as Dr. Laurel Christiansen at GN Resound.

Laurel Christiansen: This hearing aid has three microphones on each hearing aid, and they're used in a way that you're, you're using the one inside the ear at the appropriate times, and you're using the ones that are above the ear at the appropriate times, so that you're able to hear and really hear naturally in a lot of situations. And, and so that's what makes this very unique.

Steve Taddei: We also spoke with several people about accessibility and how COVID-19 has affected those with hearing loss.

Barbara Kelley: People were now having to work at home and with a lot of zoom meetings and virtual meetings, they needed captioning on these meetings or some type of accessibility. And just because there's a global pandemic, does it mean that somebody's civil rights stop?

Steve Taddei: That was Barbara Kelly of the Hearing Loss Association of America. Now there was so much more to season one. So be sure to check it out if you haven't already.

In season two, we want to take it a step further and speak directly with those affected by hearing disorders. We want to share the stories, hardships, transformative moments, and ultimately the many positive journeys. Of people finding better hearing. We will, of course, continue to speak with industry leaders, staying up to date with the many advancements.

Believe me, you won't want to miss a single episode. Here to continue unraveling the bright future of hearing technology, I'm Dr. Steven Taddei, and this is the Hearing Tracker Podcast from HearingTracker.com.

In Episode 4 of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Barbara Kelley, the current Executive Director of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).  Kelley discusses the challenges her organization has faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To keep members safe, the HLAA converted its annual in-person convention into a virtual research symposium, and numerous Walk4Hearing fundraising events were moved online. Throughout the pandemic, the HLAA has continued to serve as a critical support hub for people with hearing loss.

In Episode 3 of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Nicholas Reed, AuD, assistant professor in the Departments of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.   

Dr. Reed discusses his recent work with the ACHIEVE Trial, which is exploring the causal effect that may exist between hearing loss and dementia. He also talks about the importance of best-practice audiological care, especially as it relates to the oncoming over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid era. Lastly, Dr. Reed highlights the importance of hearing loss accessibility in healthcare settings, with some actionable suggestions for administrators looking to improve accessibility. 

Wondering if The Hearing Tracker Podcast is for you? Host Steve Taddei introduces himself, and provides some background on the mission of the show.