Life Improving Innovations from Israel at CES 2017
The Consumer Electronics Show (“CES”) was held last week in Las Vegas. As one of the world’s leading technology tradeshows it typically draws more than 150,000 international attendees. CES is an excellent venue for the presentation and demonstration of new technologies, and Alango was proud to exhibit there again this year.
While many of the Israeli companies that participated in CES 2017 are inventing ways to improve day-to-day life, hearable technology from Alango known as HearPhones™ was included in the six life-improving innovations deserving special mention in an article published in the Jerusalem Post. Read the full article here.
Hearable and Assistive Listening Products Announced
Alango introduces new concept products to aid the hearing impaired
Alango Ltd., sister company of Alango Technologies Ltd. (“Alango”), announced the introduction of new products in the hearable and assistive listening category. These products are based on the DSP software technologies of Alango Technologies Ltd., a global leader in voice, audio, and hearing enhancement.
The Alango Ltd. hearables and assistive listening Web site (www.WearAndHear.com) includes details about two concept products that are currently in Beta testing: BeHear® and SALT™. Product release is expected in the second quarter of 2017.
BeHear is a neck loop style Bluetooth® headset with external microphones on each earbud enabling binaural hearing enhancement. The hearing enhancement is made available via HearPhones™, DSP pre-processing software for hearing enhancement and assistive listening, which is the next generation of the software reference design that Alango has been licensing to its customers for their Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs). HearPhones includes digital signal processing (DSP) libraries for all device modes: hearing enhancement, phone call, and assistive listening.
Additionally, BeHear will be equipped with Alango’s ListenThrough™ technology. ListenThrough is a smart algorithm for headphones that allows important environmental sounds (alarm, car horn, train, etc.) to be passed through so that the user can listen to streamed music while remaining aware of the environment. Furthermore, BeHear will support EasyListen™, a listening mode that dynamically slows down incoming speech to make it more understandable. EasyListen helps increase intelligibility of “fast talkers”, foreign languages, and recorded messages.
SALT (Smart Assistive Listening Transceiver) can be described as the Swiss Army Knife for the hearing impaired. SALT includes all the functionality of BeHear while extending it by adding additional components. Either headphones or an induction loop can interface with SALT, which additionally includes an onboard T-Coil receiver and stereo-beamforming 4-microphone array to act as an interview or remote microphone. It is a truly multi-functional device that assists hearing in multiple real world situations and additionally works as a speakerphone, wireless intercom, emergency call device, and more.
Alexander Goldin, Alango’s founder and CEO said, “Alango is developing technology for improving the quality of life for people that have a hearing impairment. As a technology development company, we have a strong interest in seeing the hearables market come into fruition. This market will offer choices and benefits for many people. Our work began on HearPhones over two years ago, and we will continue making it better. HearPhones is what powers BeHear and SALT – our contribution to the realization of this promising market. HearPhones is available to support those who are developing hearing enhancement products and who share the dream of growing the hearables market.”
About Alango Technologies
Alango Technologies Ltd. is a leading developer and licensor of front-end DSP technologies for voice communication and mobile audio. Alango’s worldwide customers include companies of different scales, covering a wide product range. Alango technologies can be found in in-car infotainment systems, after-market hands-free car kits, navigation systems, mobile phones, Bluetooth headsets, audio conferencing systems, intercoms, assistive listening devices, security and military applications. Further information about Alango can be found at www.alango.com.
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Hearing Aid Prices Under Pressure From Consumer Electronics
The consumer electronics industry is encroaching on the hearing aid business, offering products that are far less expensive and available without the involvement of audiologists or other professionals.
So writes Andrew Pollack in an article published on April 20, 2016 in the New York Times, following his visit to AudiologyNOW! 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. The article cites some of the latest trends in the struggle to address the needs of millions of Americans who suffer from hearing impairment but are not electing to purchase hearing aids.
Consumer electronics, such as those in the Wear & Hear line of hearing enhancement and assistive listening products, are poised to fill the void.
Read the full article for details.
Alexander Goldin, founder and chief executive of Alango Technologies, showing off the Smart Assistive Listening Transceiver (SALT) at the Audiology NOW! convention.
(photo credit: David Jolkovski for The New York Times)