August 2021 Newsletter
BeHear Latest Summer News
♦ OTC policy as opportunity for audiologists ♦ Photographer/Paramedic reviews BeHear ♦ Promoting hearing health in China ♦
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July 2021 Newsletter
BeHear technology advancements
Articles in this issue include:
♦ NEW RELEASE: BeHear.ACCESS just got new hyper-advanced features normally only found in the most sophisticated hearing aids.
♦ “I never imagined I would love BeHear PROXY more than my Dyson!”- BeHear.PROXY video review.
♦ BeHear EasyListen™ -hear better with the technology that slows down speech in real time.
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The BeHear.ACCESS hearing amplification headset gains hyper-advanced hearing aid functionality
Alango Technologies, a leading independent supplier of DSP voice and audio enhancement software technologies for the communication industry, announced the release of a new, advanced version of its BeHear.ACCESS hearing amplification headset.
ACCESS is a hearable that provides personalized hearing amplification users can self-tune in real time via the companion app. ACCESS looks like a standard Bluetooth headset, but the device is powered by Alango Technologies proprietary audio enhancement and customization software, giving users hearing aid quality technology at a fraction of the cost. ACCESS belongs to the BeHear line of smart hearing amplifiers, designed to help those with mild-to-moderately-severe hearing loss hear better during face-to-face conversations, mobile and video calls, and when listening to music and sounds in nature.
This already sophisticated product received an upgrade that added hyper-advanced hearing aid functionality: 3 features that are normally found only in top-of-the-line hearing aids. Users can define the direction from which to amplify and clarify important sounds, as well as the extent to which they hear their own voice. Additionally, people with unilateral or “single-sided” hearing will benefit from new CROS/BiCROS functionality, which transfers sounds from the non-hearing side to the hearing ear.
Advanced hearing aid functionality: SoundFocus™ for better understanding of speech in noise
Difficulty understanding conversation in noisy environments is a widespread problem. Standard hearing amplifiers increase the volume of all sounds. SoundFocus, on the other hand, adds a new level of customization on top of the existing ACCESS background noise reduction feature. Users can now define which sounds will be amplified by choosing amongst three degrees of directionality:
- “Narrow” focuses in on sound directly in front of the user. This setting is best for one-on-one conversations, especially in noisy environments.
- “Wide” amplifies sound in a 180-degree half-circle in front of the wearer. It is useful when larger groups are conversing.
- “Omni” collects important sounds from all directions, suitable for example, when outdoors or at a concert.
Advanced hearing aid functionality: alleviating the “My Voice Echoes” perception
A typical downside of wearing any pair of earbuds is the “occlusion effect”; a perceived echo of your own voice when your ear canal is sealed. BeHear.ACCESS offers maximum comfort with a new feature in the W&H BeHear app that allows users to control how much of their own voice they hear.
Advanced hearing aid functionality: support for unilateral hearing (CROS/BiCROS)
Features correcting for unilateral hearing loss are typically found only in high-end hearing aids. Many people avoid using hearing aids due to their high cost, social stigma, difficulty in tuning them, etc. Implementing CROS/BiCROS in BeHear.ACCESS provides those with single-sided hearing the ability to choose this hearable, rather than being limited to hearing aids as a solution.
When activated, the function takes effect for all ACCESS hearing modes: Personal Hearing, Mobile Calls, and Audio Play. Sound from the non-hearing side is transferred to the speaker in the ear bud of the hearing ear. Streamed stereo audio is mixed automatically down to mono and reproduced in the functional ear, thus allowing people to enjoy the full sound spectrum without missing out on sounds that would have fallen on the damaged ear.
Technology can help overcome our bodies’ limitations
“Hearing well in noisy environments is always a challenge, but especially so for those with hearing loss,” says Dr. Alexander Goldin, Founder and CEO of Alango Technologies. “We are democratizing hearing, making even advanced features like CROS/BiCROS available in a hearable that is affordable and easy to use. This is deeply satisfying.”
About Alango Technologies
Alango Technologies, Ltd. has been developing sound enhancement technologies since 2002, selling over 60 million software licenses that improve the audio experience in automotive, entertainment, and smart home applications around the world. Realizing the importance and opportunity of combining the sound enhancement technology found in hearing aids with the advances and costs in the consumer electronics world, the Company is now using its field-proven expertise in sound technology to create products for personal hearing enhancement: the “BeHear” product line.
Also published online on MarketWatch.
May 2021 Newsletter
May we help you?
Articles in this issue include:
♦ “Building Connections”: the theme for Better Hearing & Speech Month 2021 (ASHA – American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
♦ Tech expert Dave Taylor of AskDaveTaylor reviews BeHear PROXY
♦ BeHear Chief Audiologist Suhail Habib Allah describes his vision of leveraging technology to create a new hearing experience
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HEAR THIS! One company is leading the way in improving audio access for the hearing impaired
[Originally published in FeedMagazine.tv – Spring 2021]
You really want to hear that YouTube content – the life hack that’s going to change everything. But it was recorded badly, the publisher hasn’t mixed it well, and you just can’t hear exactly what your favourite guru is saying. You turn up your iPhone, but Apple has designed the loudness settings to keep you from shattering your eardrums. Then, of course, there are no video subtitles. So, you watch it at your desktop computer with the BIG SPEAKERS and see how that goes.
It’s really irritating when that happens. But if you’re hard of hearing, this is what a regular day on the internet can be like. Fortunately, there are hearing assistive devices making content more accessible.
Audio communications company, Alango Technologies, is headquartered in Haifa, Israel, and has turned its focus to technologies improving access for the hearing impaired. The company’s BeHear ACCESS assistive hearing device was an honouree at the 2020 CES Innovation Awards. Their philosophy is that hearing impairment is a more universal phenomenon than most people readily admit, and use of hearing assistive technology should be as common as getting glasses.
Accessing audio isn’t entirely a matter of loudness or frequency enhancement. Sometimes the speed of speech makes it difficult to understand for people with age-related hearing loss, but also those with cognitive disabilities or language barriers. Even those who need extra time to write down information as they hear it.
One of Alango’s technologies, EasyListen, slows down incoming speech in real time.
“People with a hearing disability have difficulties listening to fast talkers and, eventually, at some age, all talkers seem fast,” explains Alango founder and CEO, Dr Alexander Goldin. “We can slow down speech and make it more intelligible. It’s a unique technology you cannot find today, even in expensive hearing aids.” BeHear ACCESS was designed for older people, who may have dexterity problems, with large buttons and simple controls.
The company’s EasyWatch technology allows viewers to understand fast talkers on TV, movies and streaming video by dynamically and selectively slowing down both the audio and video streams.
“One problem with hearing loss is that many people are not aware of having it,” says Goldin. “It takes, on average, seven years from the onset of the problem to the point where people become aware. And another three years when they start actually looking for help.”
To shorten this time, Alango has developed a hearing assessment kiosk, which can be put in waiting rooms or pharmacies to assess hearing – then provide customised audio feedback to give people an experience of what they are missing.
“Becoming aware of the problem is not enough to look for help. You need to know what you are missing. Hearing isn’t like vision – I can immediately understand that I can’t read a book or see a traffic sign. But if I don’t hear birds outside, they simply don’t exist for me. At our kiosk, we play video clips and allow people to switch the hearing amplification on and off.”
Getting the right solution in compensating for hearing loss isn’t just a matter of increasing loudness. Most gradual hearing loss is selective along specific frequencies. Increasing loudness brings up other frequencies, which may allow a person to fill in the gaps of what they are not hearing, but those missing frequencies are still likely to remain vacant. Alango uses a technology called multi-channel dynamic range processing. This takes into account all parts of the auditory system and tries to make up for it using the frequencies a person is still able to hear.
“Hearing loss cannot be compensated for completely. But we’re trying to get as close as possible.”
Alango’s technologies are designed for TVs and technologies people use every day. They have begun conversations with tech manufacturers about how to best integrate these new assistive features more widely.
Given the capabilities of most modern devices, we may eventually see smart devices taking into account that the ability to access video and audio is less consistent than we assume. A device integrated with its own hearing assessments – and automatic compensation for it – could be just around the corner.
PEOPLE WITH A HEARING DISABILITY HAVE DIFFICULTIES LISTENING TO FAST TALKERS AND, EVENTUALLY, AT SOME AGE, ALL TALKERS SEEM FAST
View the original article at https://online.bright-publishing.com/view/528237499/68/
April 2021 Newsletter
Hear what you see with BeHear
♦ Shattering disability stigma for World Hearing Day with Israeli BeHear technology enabling self-administered hearing screening
♦ BeHear ACCESS is part of the hottest new technology trend called hearables
♦ How can you avoid using our products?
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Shattering disability stigma for World Hearing Day with Israeli BeHear technology enabling self-administered hearing screening
A.R.M. and BeKol leverage BeHear’s innovative hearing check kiosks to raise hearing health awareness and accessibility
A special initiative by A.R.M. Medical Center, experts in Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck, and Oral and Maxillofacial surgery; BeKol, the organization representing the hard of hearing in Israel; and BeHear by Alango Technologies is designed to shatter disability stigma while promoting hearing health awareness and accessibility.
Imagine a world where disabilities are addressed without stigma. Imagine a world where all people are treated with dignity and respect and can easily implement technological solutions without experiencing shame. While this seems like an obvious and morally imperative goal, when it comes to hearing health there is a painful dissonance between its importance and the general levels of awareness and accessibility. Worst of all, there is a high level of social stigma attached to hearing as a disability, as if it is indicative of being “broken”, old, or damaged, as well as the negative and completely inappropriate association of cognitive incapacity.
World Hearing Day is an annual global initiative sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), designed to raise awareness and promote hearing care at community and national levels across the world. This year’s theme “Hearing care for ALL! Screen. Rehabilitate. Communicate.” fits perfectly with the A.R.M.-BeKol-BeHear initiative to provide free, accessible hearing screening.
Using equipment donated by Alango to BeKol, free access will be provided to BeHear’s hearing check kiosks located at the A.R.M. Medical Center in Assuta Hospital, Tel Aviv. The innovative kiosks offer a unique balance of user-independence with precision results, testing in a quick and simple process that anyone can undertake without the help of a healthcare professional. The system guides the user through a 5-minute hearing assessment using an intuitive interface available in English, Hebrew, Russian, and Arabic. Results are received on the spot and can be sent to the user’s email. The user is then invited to compare “what they hear” with “what they could be hearing” once BeHear’s advanced hearing enhancement technology is applied to the sound they hear.
“Increasing visibility raises acceptance and reduces social stigma.” states Dr. Alexander Goldin, Founder and CEO of Alango Technologies. “There is no excuse for people to be deterred from attaining the hearing care they need due to complicated bureaucracy, fear of going for screening, or high costs. We hope that through the donation of our kiosks to Bekol and the screenings that will take place, many people will be empowered to take control of their hearing health and address any issues they might have sooner, rather than later. People tend to like playing with gadgets so many will find that our hearing assessment is actually an interesting and engaging experience.”
“We at A.R.M. Medical Center work hard to raise awareness about the importance of early diagnosis of hearing loss and the need for appropriate and customized treatment,” states Prof. Michal Lunz, Director of the Department of Ear Surgery and Hearing Rehabilitation, A.R.M. “Each year, in conjunction with World Hearing Day, we hold a special week-long event. We invite the public to come and get tested by A.R.M.’s team of experts and receive the best diagnosis and consulting, all at no cost, in order to make good hearing health accessible to everyone.”
BeKol Executive Director Damian Kelman explains, “Bekol constantly strives to raise awareness and increase accessibility to good hearing health. World Hearing Day 2021 marks a unique opportunity to enhance Bekol’s efforts to provide free hearing screenings to the general population and to elderly adults in particular. With the newly and highly appreciated addition of BeHear kiosks to our centers and hearing mobile stations, we at Bekol look forward to expanding and maximizing the impact of our screening program throughout the year as well. Increasing testing availability and simplifying the process is a critical part of disrupting the barriers to hearing health.”
Free screenings using the Hearing Check Kiosks will take place over the course of two days (March 8 & March 10). The appointments are conditional on pre-registration by phone: 03-7645464, and will take place at A.R.M. Medical Center located at 20 Habarzel Street, 1st floor, Assuta Hospital, Ramat Hachayal, Tel Aviv. In addition to the hearing screenings, A.R.M. offers at no cost consulting appointments with its team of leading otologists and audiologists.
About A.R.M.
A.R.M Medical Center was founded in 2009 as a center of expertise in the fields of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck, and Oral and Maxillofacial surgery. With its team of leading Israeli doctors, it works to deliver all-encompassing solutions for patient needs, with full consideration of the best available technologies. The A.R.M Medical Center operates within “Assuta”, the most advanced private hospital in Israel. For more information, visit: www.aram-ent.co.il/en
About BeKol
BeKol is the organization representing the hard of hearing in Israel that strives for the empowerment, attainment of equal opportunities, and real integration of the hard of hearing in Israel, in all areas of life. The goal of the BeKol is to ensure that every hard of hearing person in Israel will be able to make the most of their skills, to the extent that their heart desires. For more information, visit: www.bekol.org
About Alango Technologies
Alango Technologies, Ltd. (www.alango.com) has been developing sound enhancement technologies since 2002, selling over 50 million software licenses that improve the audio experience in automotive, entertainment, and smart home applications around the world. Realizing the importance and opportunity of combining the sound enhancement technology found in hearing aids with the advances and costs in the consumer electronics world, the Company is now using its field-proven expertise in sound technology to create products for personal hearing enhancement: the “BeHear” product line (www.WearAndHear.com).
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BeHear, HearLink, and Wear & Hear are registered trademarks of Alango Technologies, Ltd. in the United States. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
Also published at:
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/shattering-disability-stigma-world-hearing-160200047.html
March 2021 Newsletter
3 Things for You
♦ NEW PRODUCT offers surround sound on your shoulders! ♦ Hearing is believing – customer becomes advocate ♦ How to keep your ears young and your mind sharp ♦
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PROXY Listening Experience Helps Battle Zoom Fatigue
Alango releases BeHear PROXY, a customizable Bluetooth neck speaker and hearing amplifier that provides a comfortable, rich stereo sound experience for TV watching, mobile calls, audio/video streaming, gaming, and live conversations
Alango Technologies announced that a new model called BeHear® PROXY has been added to its line of hearing enhancement solutions.
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent preference to shelter at home have driven remote working, virtual communications and TV watching through the roof. It turns out that virtual communication is stressful for the brain and over-use of these platforms can create a type of tiredness, worry, or burnout which has been coined “Zoom fatigue”.
BeHear’s PROXY can help alleviate some of the stress of Zoom fatigue by creating a comfortable, customized, immersive listening experience. Straining to hear and the need to focus almost entirely on vocals (in contrast to an in-person interaction that provides many more visual cues) is a major factor in Zoom fatigue. PROXY connects to the audio source to deliver sound in close proximity (get it?) to the ears, while Alango’s advanced hearing enhancement technology clarifies dialogue and customizes amplification based on the wearer’s unique hearing profile.
PROXY’s ergonomic form factor rests lightly on the shoulders, emitting rich surround sound enhanced by Alango’s technology. This enables the wearer to enjoy high quality sound without having anything in the ears, worrying that earbuds will fall out or getting hot from over-the-ears headphones. Ears-free is a different and cool way to listen but the true beauty in PROXY is the customization capabilities.
Alango’s audio experts designed the product to produce an individualized hearing profile for every user, including those who are hard of hearing. BeHear PROXY can be used with hearing aids, or as a back-up hearing amplifier to relieve hearing aid fatigue. Amplification can be ~20% stronger than that of a mobile phone or computer speaker – but it is applied only where and when needed, according to the user’s hearing profile. Amplification on its own just makes everything louder. The BeHear magic is in custom fitting the sound to each user and supporting their individual hearing needs.
“We developed BeHear PROXY to create a new hearing experience, to make life sound better when watching TV and participating in mobile and video calls,” notes Alango’s CEO and Founder, Dr. Alexander Goldin. “In these difficult times, it’s good to be able to alleviate the stress of Zoom fatigue and straining to hear. Why not pamper yourself with a comfortable and satisfying listening experience?”
BeHear PROXY also includes extractable earbuds that support personal sound amplification for live conversations. The earbuds are also useful for private listening during mobile phone and video calls, or while watching television when others are present but not engaged. BeHear PROXY can pair simultaneously via Bluetooth to two different devices, such as a smartphone and a computer.
About Alango Technologies
Alango Technologies, Ltd. (www.alango.com) has been developing sound enhancement technologies since 2002, selling over 50 million software licenses that improve the audio experience in automotive, entertainment, and smart home applications around the world. Realizing the importance and opportunity of combining the sound enhancement technology found in hearing aids with the advances and costs in the consumer electronics world, the Company is now using its field-proven expertise in sound technology to create products for personal hearing enhancement: the “Wear & Hear” product line (www.WearAndHear.com).
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BeHear, HearLink, and Wear & Hear are registered trademarks of Alango Technologies, Ltd. in the United States. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
Also published at:
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/proxy-listening-experience-helps-battle-143500018.html
Are Hearables part of your anti-aging routine? If not, they should be.
Alango’s Wear & Hear line of hearables integrate Alango’s hearing enhancement technology into Bluetooth headsets, breaking down barriers to hearing health, reducing the risk of cognitive decline and even dementia.
Alango Technologies is presenting a new and important angle to their line of hearables – hearing health as part of the regimen to maintain mental and physical wellness and improve quality of life.
The correlation between untreated hearing loss and cognitive decline is well documented. Hearing loss makes social interaction more difficult, reduces the ability to connect with others, and often leads to isolation and decreased physical activity. This results in a marked decline in physical and even mental health. Recent research has uncovered that untreated hearing loss in mid-life is the most significant factor in the later onset of dementia(!).
This discovery is shocking, but it is also good news. Awareness of the significance of hearing health, coupled with the realization that hearing degradation is a natural part of life, is the first step to implementing mitigatory care.
The challenge is in overcoming the psychological and financial barriers to seeking care. 15% of the general population experience some level of hearing loss but because degradation is gradual, many don’t recognize the decline until it becomes serious. On average it takes 7 years from the moment a person accepts that he or she is experiencing hearing loss to the point where they seek treatment. Technological solutions cannot fully compensate for the physical and mental capabilities which are lost when ears go untreated. Severe hearing loss needs to be treated with hearing aids or surgery, solutions that are both expensive and complicated.
Alango’s CEO and Founder, Dr. Alexander Goldin, goes one step further, declaring that public understanding of hearing health needs to shift from the realm of treating disability to become an integral part of anti-aging regimens:
“Our BeHear headsets are hearing enhancement solutions that provide the audio quality of hearing aids at the price of competing hearables. Implementing these solutions sooner, rather than later, serve as a way to enhance hearing when the problem is mild to moderate but also as a way to keep the ears young and the mind sharp and help avoid worse problems in the future.”
Leveraging wearables to monitor and improve health and wellness has been the rage for a number of years. Melding Alango’s proprietary hearing enhancement technology into standard-looking Bluetooth headsets breaks down barriers to maintaining hearing health and opens the door to sustaining a high quality of life, longer.
For more information: meet up with a member of the Alango team at CES2021, or throughout the year.
About Alango Technologies
Alango Technologies, Ltd. (www.alango.com) has been developing sound enhancement technologies since 2002, selling over 50 million software licenses that improve the audio experience in automotive, entertainment, and smart home applications around the world. Realizing the importance and opportunity of combining the sound enhancement technology found in hearing aids with the advances and costs in the consumer electronics world, the Company is now using its field-proven expertise in sound technology to create products for personal hearing enhancement: the “Wear & Hear” product line (www.WearAndHear.com).
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BeHear, HearLink, and Wear & Hear are registered trademarks of Alango Technologies, Ltd. in the United States. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
Also published at:
Alango – Wear & Hear Products Win Top Honors in NPTA Program
9th Annual New Product & Technology Awards (NPTA) Program Recognizes Two Wear & Hear Products
Haifa, Israel – December 28, 2020 – Alango – Wear & Hear was a two-time winner in the 2020 New Product & Technology Awards. The BeHear ACCESS assistive hearing headset received a Gold Award in the Communication Devices category, and the BeHear PROXY assistive hearing neck speaker received a Gold Award in the Lifestyle Assistive Devices category. The program, presented by the Mature Market Resource CenterSM, a national clearinghouse for the senior market, is the first awards program of its kind to recognize the most innovative products & services for older adults and their families.
BeHear ACCESS Assistive Hearing Headset Recognized in the Communication Devices Category; BeHear PROXY in the Lifestyle Assistive Devices Category
BeHear ACCESS neckloop hearing amplifier with charging cradle, T-coil support. 
BeHear PROXY neck speaker and personalized hearing amplifier.
“We are pleased that our efforts to develop life-changing, high-quality, affordable, multi-functional, self-fit hearing solutions have been recognized in the 9th annual New Product & Technology Awards program this year,” stated Dr. Alexander Goldin, CEO and Founder of Alango Technologies. “Many aspects of physical, emotional and even mental health are impacted by the ability to hear. For us, these are more than products, they are a gateway to quality of life, health and wellness for those who have lost them due to problems with their auditory system.”
Entries were judged by a distinguished panel of mature market experts from across the United States for overall excellence of design, content, creativity and relevance to the senior market.
BeHear ACCESS is a Personalizable Assistive Hearing Device
BeHear ACCESS is a stylish, affordable, multi-functional, self-managed hearing enhancement device for mild-to-moderately-severe hearing loss. Housed in a high-quality Bluetooth stereo headset, it features advanced technology for personalized amplification of important sounds, based on a self-administered hearing assessment. The headset can be customized in real-time to suit all types of hearing situations: live conversations, mobile calls, music streaming, TV watching, sounds in nature, and more. Two built-in Telecoil receivers ensure best possible hearing in locales equipped with hearing loop technology.
BeHear PROXY Makes TV Watching Enjoyable Again
BeHear PROXY is a self-fit hearing amplifier that looks (and functions) like a standard Bluetooth stereo neck speaker, providing a rich listening experience for television watching, gaming, and music streaming. With the help of its extractable earphones and a dedicated smartphone app, it also provides personalizable amplification for live conversations and hands-free mobile calls. Together with the HearLink® PLUS Bluetooth audio transmitter it provides unmatched accessibility and improved language comprehension for television programs, with perfect audio-video synchronization. It is suitable for use with or without hearing aids.
About Alango Technologies
Alango Technologies, Ltd. (www.alango.com) has been developing sound enhancement technologies since 2002, selling over 50 million software licenses that improve the audio experience in automotive, entertainment, and smart home applications around the world. Realizing the importance and opportunity of combining the sound enhancement technology found in hearing aids with the advances and costs in the consumer electronics world, the Company is now using its field-proven expertise in sound technology to create products for personal hearing enhancement: the “Wear & Hear” product line (www.WearAndHear.com).
BeHear, HearLink, and Wear & Hear are registered trademarks of Alango Technologies, Ltd. in the United States. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
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Wear & Hear Products Receive Two Hearing Technology Innovator Awards
Top Honors Received by BeHear ACCESS in the Personal Listening Devices Category; Express Hearing Check Kiosk in the Equipment Category
It is this kind of exposure that will bring us closer to our goal of delivering a solution to the worldwide problem of untreated hearing loss.
Dr. Alexander Goldin, CEO and Founder of Alango Technologies
October 19, 2020 – Alango Technologies announced today that it has been awarded 1st place for both Personal Listening Device and Equipment categories in the inaugural Hearing Technology Innovator Awards™.
Through the annual awards program, Hearing Health & Technology Matters (HHTM) recognizes technological innovation and achievement in the hearing industry. This year’s awards program saw dozens of innovative technologies, submitted from companies across the globe, with more than 15,000 votes cast.
Proceeds from the event helped raise over $4,000 for the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).
BeHear ACCESS is a Personalizable Assistive Hearing Device
BeHear ACCESS is a stylish, affordable, multi-functional, self-managed hearing device for those with mild-to-moderately-severe hearing loss. Housed in a high-quality Bluetooth stereo headset, it features advanced technology for personalized amplification of important sounds, based on a self-administered hearing assessment. Additionally, the headset can be customized in real-time to suit all types of hearing situations: live conversations, mobile calls, music streaming, TV watching, sounds in nature, and more. Furthermore, two built-in a Telecoil receivers ensure best possible hearing in locales equipped with hearing loop technology.
What Makes BeHear ACCESS So Innovative?
By incorporating advanced sound enhancement technology into a Bluetooth stereo headset, the BeHear ACCESS from Alango – Wear & Hear provides a unique opportunity to those with hearing loss to improve their quality of life. Since 1 in 7 people worldwide have some level of hearing loss, which when left untreated can lead to poor performance at school and work, isolation, depression, cognitive decline, and even dementia, an innovative solution is critical. BeHear ACCESS eliminates the obstacles (such as high cost, stigma, unmet expectations, and reliance on others) which prevent widespread uptake of the current solutions addressing hearing loss.
Hearing Equipment Category Winner is a Hearing Self-Check Kiosk
With the Wear & Hear Express Hearing Check kiosk, visitors can check their hearing in a matter of minutes, using field-proven Alango BeHear technology, and get their results on the spot. Then, they can compare what they currently hear with what they could be hearing, with personalized amplification applied.
Upon completion of the assessment, a graphic depiction of the visitor’s hearing profile is displayed, with a brief explanation of the hearing abilities of each ear. Next, visitors are invited to listen to a pre-recorded audio file, choosing between two options: hearing it in its original state, or with the BeHear technology (and test results) applied to customize the sound for their hearing loss.
Currently, the kiosk is available in seven languages: English, Hebrew, Russian, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Arabic, and Dutch, and more will be added shortly.
What Makes the Express Hearing Check Kiosk So Innovative?
The Express Hearing Check kiosk provides immediate feedback to anyone willing to invest a few minutes to check their hearing. When used in ENT offices and hearing clinics, the kiosk can serve to relieve the bottleneck of performing hearing tests, since it requires no trained personnel for its operation.
Since hearing typically declines gradually, most people are not aware of their hearing loss, nor of what they are missing. Furthermore, hearing assessment is not typically included in standard physical check-ups. So, this quick, self-managed hearing assessment has the potential to greatly reduce the amount of time people live with untreated hearing loss (and its side effects: isolation, depression, cognitive decline, and even dementia).
The Express Hearing Check kiosk can be installed in public places, pharmacies, optical shops, ENT doctors’ waiting rooms, and elsewhere. Depending on the location, visitors can get a referral for an appointment, view information about assistive hearing products, or simply request to have their results sent to them via e-mail.
Setting the Standard for Innovation in the Hearing Industry
“Technologies being developed by companies like Alango – Wear & Hear are helping set the standard for innovation in the hearing industry,” said HHTM President and CEO, Kevin Liebe.
“We are pleased that our efforts to develop high-quality, affordable, multi-functional, self-fit assistive hearing solutions worldwide have been recognized by HHTM and their followers,” stated Dr. Alexander Goldin, CEO and Founder of Alango Technologies. “It is this kind of exposure that will bring us closer to our goal of delivering a solution to the worldwide problem of untreated hearing loss.”
About Alango Technologies
Alango Technologies, Ltd. (www.alango.com) has been developing sound enhancement technologies since 2002, selling over 50 million software licenses that improve the audio experience in automotive, entertainment, and smart home applications around the world. Realizing the importance and opportunity of combining the sound enhancement technology found in hearing aids with the advances and costs in the consumer electronics world, the Company is now using its field-proven expertise in sound technology to create products for personal hearing enhancement: the “Wear & Hear” product line (www.WearAndHear.com).
About the Hearing Technology Innovator Awards
The Hearing Technology Innovator Awards™ is an international awards program designed to recognize and celebrate innovation within the hearing industry. Learn more at https://hearinghealthmatters.org/hearing-technology-innovator-awards/
Assistive Technology Podcast Showcases Wear & Hear
We recently had the privilege of participating in a podcast organized by Josh Anderson of Easterseals Crossroads. That organization has been providing assistive technology solutions in Indiana since 1979. In 2007 Easter Seals Crossroads partnered with the State of Indiana Bureau of Rehabilitative Services to establish the Indiana Assistive Technology Act (INDATA) Project. The INDATA Project is one of 56 similar, federally-funded projects designed to increase awareness of and access to assistive technology. For more information, visit the INDATA Web site.
I love that you’re putting that technology in consumer devices so like you said, individuals can walk around in and use them and no one even knows.
Josh Anderson, Assistive Technology Update
When we mentioned that one of our most important goals now is to inform those who could benefit from our products of their existence, Josh agreed that we need more exposure. He notes: “That’s always the biggest challenge it seems like in any kind of assistive technology is just finding out what there is out there for folks who have barriers and just don’t realize that there’s so many things out there to help them, so thank you for coming on the show and letting them know that your products are out there and available to help them with their needs.”
We’re grateful to Easterseals Crossroads and INDATA for the opportunity to share our assistive technology hearing products with their community in this podcast. We really appreciate their support in our mission to make the world sound better to everyone.
Listen to the podcast using this link, or read the transcript on this Web page.
BeHear Headsets Approved for Arizona AzTEDP Program
The BeHear NOW Personal Bluetooth Hearing Amplifier and the BeHear ACCESS Amplifier with Telecoil have both been approved by the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing for AzTEDP (Arizona Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program). This program is a free State of Arizona program that provides one phone or cell phone accessory and/or one alerting device for Arizona residents who qualify as hard of hearing and can produce relevant documentation about their residency. For more information, click here for the catalog. The BeHear option is located on page 9.
BeHear headsets have been designed to help people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. They are self-tunable, enhancing hearing for face-to-face conversations, live music, mobile calls, and TV watching. For more information about obtaining a BeHear headset via AzTEDP, click here.
Alango – Wear & Hear Named Finalist in What’s Next Innovation Challenge Sponsored by AARP Innovation Labs
Expert Judging Panel Will Determine Winners June 25 with Virtual Audience
Competition Focuses on Hearing Loss Innovative Solutions for 1 in 3 Older Americans
[Haifa, Israel], June 15, 2020 – Alango – Wear & Hear has been chosen as one of six finalists in the What’s Next Innovation Challenge sponsored by AARP Innovation Labs to be held June 25 during the 17th annual What’s Next Longevity Venture Summit virtual event. Finalists were chosen from a large field of applicants who offer the most disruptive solutions to drive adoption and usage of hearing aids for the millions over age 50 who have hearing impairment in the U.S.
“Our finalists in this competition are the top entrepreneurs helping to solve the challenges of hearing loss that impacts one in three Americans between ages 65-74,” said Mary Furlong, serial successful entrepreneur, author and producer of the What’s Next Longevity Summits. “The entrepreneurial talent from this competition not only gets the attention from event attendees who can fund or distribute their innovation and help scale their business, but also gets the chance to go on to national awareness thanks to our sponsor, AARP Innovation Labs. We’re thrilled Alango – Wear & Hear, a company with almost 20 years of experience in sound technology, was one of the finalists chosen.”
Each finalist will make their pitch to the expert judging panel consisting of longevity experts and investors: Dave Blanchard – Hamilton CapTel, Abby Levy – Primetime Partners and Jeannee Parker Martin – LeadingAge California. The judges will vote collectively to determine the winner who will earn a spot at the AARP Innovation Labs Grand Pitch Finale in Washington, D.C. later this year. Past finalists from the What’s Next Innovation Challenge, including Embodied Labs, have gone on to win the national Grand Pitch Finale.
“It is well known that untreated hearing loss is a huge health problem. As documented in the PCAST Report entitled ‘Aging America and Hearing Loss’ (Oct 2015), the traditional hearing aids industry has failed to provide a solution, so we decided to use our expertise in developing digital sound enhancement technologies to offer a disruptive alternative that works better, does more, looks modern, and costs much less. The result is our Wear & Hear brand of Personalized Bluetooth Hearing Amplifiers.”
Dr. Alexander Goldin, CEO and Founder of Alango Technologies
The What’s Next Innovation Challenge is one of the hallmarks of the What’s Next Longevity Summit where entrepreneurs join investors, businesses, analysts, nonprofits, media and other experts all focused on the $8.3 trillion longevity economy. The three-day What’s Next Longevity Venture Summit June 24-25, and July 21 offers on demand content including: more than 70 speakers, panel discussions, analyst research presentations and innovative virtual networking opportunities.
Produced by Mary Furlong, founder and CEO of Mary Furlong & Associates along with co-producers Lori Bitter, founder of The Business of Aging, and Sherri Snelling, CEO of Caregiving Club, top sponsors of the Summit include: AARP Innovation Labs, Ageless Innovation, Great Call, CareLinx, Great Call, Home Instead, Simple Meds, CABHI, Nationwide, VitalTech, Medterra CBD, CareMerge, Movano Inc. iN2L, Hamilton CapTel, Thrive, Ziegler-Linkage, WAHVE, My Family Channel and Bindix.
See the event agenda and full list of speakers and sponsors.
Register to attend the Summit here.
About Mary Furlong/Mary Furlong & Associates
Founded in 2003, Mary Furlong & Associates (MFA) is a strategy, business development and marketing company. A serial entrepreneur, Mary founded SeniorNet.org, and ThirdAge Media, prior to MFA. For 17 years, Mary has produced the industry leading What’s Next Boomer Business Summit and Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit, adding the Washington Innovation Summit and What’s Next Canada in recent years. Author of Turning Silver into Gold, How to Profit in the Boomer Market and The MFA Longevity Market Report, Mary has been recognized by ASA, Fortune, Time and as one of the top 100 Women in Silicon Valley. She is an adviser to the Ziegler LinkAge Fund, CABHI and numerous start-up companies in addition to her private client practice. For more info, visit: www.maryfurlong.com
About Alango – Wear & Hear
To combat the “silent epidemic” of worldwide hearing loss, Alango Technologies, Ltd., a leading supplier of sound enhancement technologies for voice communication established in 2002, launched the Wear & Hear line in 2015. Although untreated hearing loss can lead to isolation, depression, cognitive decline, and even dementia, less than 25% of people in developed countries (and less than 3% in low income countries) use hearing aids. The Alango Wear & Hear line was created to disrupt the conventional treatment of hearing loss. Its personalizable hearing amplification solutions provide stylish, affordable, and self-tuned listening experiences to people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. For more info, visit: www.WearAndHear.com
Alango’s Wear & Hear Product Line and Digital Health During COVID-19
Efficient medical service and care require a continuous voice communication between the patient and the provider. Hearing loss negatively impacts the ability to communicate.
Hearing loss today is not a rare health condition. On average, 15% of population have some level of hearing loss, 5% have disabling hearing loss. The situation is becoming worse quickly with age. Nearly half of those older than 75 have disabling hearing loss.
As a result, many elderly people who are admitted to hospitals cannot communicate properly. Patients with untreated hearing loss may not understand explanations of the treatment they receive, they cannot understand instructions and they may not follow the medical procedures once they discharge from the hospital because they simply did not hear them well.
Being at home and getting medical services remotely also requires good verbal telecommunication. Understanding of questions and instructions is the key for success since when people are at home, there may be no one to monitor them. Being at home without an ability to communicate efficiently is also related to the feeling of isolation and loneliness leading to depression.
Most of hearing-impaired people could benefit from hearing amplification, but only few use it. Hearing amplification today is associated with hearing aids that, even in developed countries, are used by only 25% of those who need them. In low income countries the situation is much worse. What can we do to improve communication with hearing-impaired people?
Our company, Alango Technologies was founded in 2002 and, today, we are a leading licensor of digital voice enhancement technologies for the communication market. Improving voice communication is our bread and butter. Four years ago we decided to develop our own line of alternative, disruptive hearing amplification devices that can help people to communicate in all situations. Several of our products are on the market already and more will come soon. We call our brand Wear & Hear.
BeHear NOW is our first device that looks and works as a stylish Bluetooth stereo headset, but it is also a powerful digital hearing aid. It can work as a standalone device, but its full functionality is achieved via its smartphone application. The user performs a simple, intuitive hearing assessment. After that, all sounds are personalized for the best hearing experience in live conversations, music streaming and phone calls. During phone calls, it can even slow down the incoming voice improving its intelligibility. This makes BeHear a great tool for hearing impaired people to communicate with medical service providers.
BeHear ACCESS is similar in functionality to BeHear NOW, but it has been designed for older people. It has larger control boxes with big buttons convenient for people with dexterity problems. BeHear ACCESS also integrates telecoil receivers for use in facilities equipped with hearing loops.
BeHear BUSINESS is a monaural personalized hearing amplifier and Bluetooth communication headset for client-facing professionals who may not feel comfortable wearing a stereo headset at work. [By the way, it is a great device for medical personal with hearing loss!]
BeHear PROXY is a personalizable neck speaker for TV listening. It also works as a high-quality speakerphone with loudspeakers very close to the user’s ears. If privacy is important, it can be easily transformed into a headset and personal sound amplifier by pulling out its retractable earbuds.
YONA is our remote microphone that can transmit voice into any of our BeHear devices, improving communication in noisy environments or over large distances.
There are multiple data today indicating that good hearing and the ability to communicate are key to good health. Our goal is to make our world sound good to all of us.
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