Hearables, innovative hearing solutions, create an opportunity for holistic audiology
The hearing healthcare market is rapidly changing, expanding to include a new category of hearing solutions called hearables – devices that offer different types of hybrids between hearing aids and consumer electronic headsets or ear buds. The delay in OTC (Over The Counter) legislation providing guidelines for the marketing of hearing aids, promised by the FDA to be released in August 2020, has not prevented companies from announcing DTC (Direct To Consumer) hearing augmentation solutions. On the contrary, several companies, including giants like Apple, are moving full speed ahead to implement hearing augmentation solutions for people with mild to moderate hearing degradation.
As more and more companies start offering hearing solutions that are not hearing aids, and customers recognize that it is possible to find alternatives to traditional hearing aids that are prescribed and fitted by a hearing professional, audiologists will need to consider evolving in the way they manage their businesses.
What does the increase in the availability of non-traditional hearing solutions mean for audiologists?
As Kim Cavitt, AuD advised on a recent “Future Ear Radio” podcast entitled “How Hearing Professionals Can Thrive in an Expanding Market”, the best course for audiologists going forward is to “practice audiology: decouple your identity from the product and simply provide the care at a professional level.” Dr. Cavitt believes that audiologists need to adopt a more holistic approach. Instead of focusing on selling hearing aids, hearing professionals should be addressing the specific client’s requirement and counseling them on the best solution for their current hearing status. They can use their audiological expertise to diagnose the client’s condition and then help them navigate the wide variety of available options to steer them toward high-quality solutions.
In other words, this move would require a revised business model. Instead of relying mainly on hearing aid sales for income, provision of services would sustain the practice. Service might include finding ways to increase awareness regarding the importance of hearing health and closing the gap between the first stages of hearing degradation and adopting technological support.
How can audiologists stay relevant as providers of hearing solutions?
Psychological factors create resistance to adopting hearing aids, but most people are unaware that untreated hearing loss damages physical, emotional, and even mental wellbeing. Familiarity with the entire gamut of technological options, from high-end hearing aids to situation-specific hearing enhancers (like TV listening solutions) enables audiologists to offer solutions appropriate to the customer’s state of mind, as well as the condition of their ears. Since the holistic approach is also time-consuming, it would be benefit audiologists to vet the DTC (Direct to Consumer) options and then refer clients to their own e-Commerce store to peruse relevant options there. This would cut down on clinic time and keep the client at the center of the process, while providing a new revenue stream for the audiologist.
Becoming a knowledge source for customers who find it difficult to comprehend and calculate the pros and cons of different options available is an important way to stay relevant as a hearing professional.
While attending the recent “Future of Hearing Healthcare Event” sponsored by Hearing Health & Technology Matters, Kathy Folino, an audiologist at Amplifon Clinic in Niagara Falls, discovered the BeHear PROXY, a hearing enhancement neck speaker developed by Alango Technologies. Kathy reports: “I used the BeHear PROXY myself and then sent it to my dad to try out as well. I think it’s a great product. The sound quality was clear, and the volume range was great (thinking of hard of hearing clients). It was very user friendly and easy to pair the Bluetooth and start using. My dad loved using it as a speaker and he even used the headphones at times too. It improved his ability to hear the TV clearly and understand what was being said. His partner liked it too because the TV wasn’t too loud for her!”
Products like BeHear PROXY make it easy for audiologists to adopt a more holistic approach to helping people with hearing loss. It’s a great option for clients who are hesitant to get hearing aids, and/or just want something for the TV.
Individuals who became audiologists to reconnect those with hearing loss to family, friends, and nature’s pleasures will appreciate the opportunity provided by the new hearing enhancement solutions to serve more people. With their backgrounds in science and technology, hearing professionals are well positioned to help clients navigate the rapidly growing field of options. Clients will benefit from an easier path to hearing health with a trusted advisor, and audiologists will be rewarded with their loyalty for years to come.
Written by Ruth Bridger, Marketing Director of Assistive Products at Alango Technologies.
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.
Hear better with BeHear EasyListen™ technology that slows down speech in real time
“Leave your name and number at the tone. S l o w l y.”
Susan’s father is in his 80s. His mind is sharp. He has no problem using his mobile for phone and even video calls. Unlike the younger generation, he still uses voicemail, wants to listen to messages and call people back. That’s why he recorded a special message for people trying to reach him, requesting they leave their number, speaking slowly.
Having to strain to catch what someone else is saying is both annoying and stressful. This phenomenon is not necessarily a function of a hearing problem (although it may be). Some people are simply “fast talkers,” people who speak more quickly than most, making it hard to catch everything they say. There are several additional situations where rapid speech could be a problem that makes us wish it were possible to slow down the words of the person on the other side of the phone:
- Age – As we age our reflexes become slower. In the same vein, the gap between hearing and comprehension increases i.e., it takes more time for the brain to process the sound and translate it into meaning.
- Geography – In the U.S.A, for example, the southern drawl is very different from the clipped speech of a New Yorker. The trend to use offshore employees for customer support introduces unfamiliar accents. When someone sounds different than what we are used to hearing, their speech is harder for our brain to process.
- Language – different languages are spoken at different paces, and it can be challenging to keep up with a conversation that is not in your native tongue.
EasyListenTM technology is integrated into BeHear hearing amplification headsets, enabling users to slow down speech during mobile calls and while listening to voice messages.
For people experiencing even mild hearing loss, EasyListenTM technology to slow down speech can be particularly helpful. Hearing degradation affects our ability to hear certain sounds that make up words, such as the letters and letter combinations f, s, sh, th, etc. In this case the brain needs extra time to determine what was said, based on overall context. In such cases, people often find themselves unduly tired without realizing that this is caused by the added strain and stress of trying to decipher words that have become unclear.
“Time stretching” technologies for speech modification are not new. EasyListenTM differs from these, creating a more complex and intelligent standard for the dynamic real-time control of speech. Sophisticated speech analysis is performed, and only those parts that are important for understanding, but just too fast, are slowed down to the extent that is necessary. This is how the speech is slowed down, without altering the natural feel of the conversation:
- Natural pauses occur in each typical conversation (such as when the speaker takes a breath). Shortening such pauses is used to reduce the delay that is generated by slowing down the audio signal. However, if the speaker talks fast continuously, with no pauses, EasyListenTM will gradually stop slowing down his/her monologue when the maximal allowed delay is exceeded.
EasyListenTM technology is language-independent and works equally well with Western and Eastern tonal languages. It can be activated during mobile (cell) phone calls only, not during live conversations or television/movie viewing.
BeHear hearing amplification headsets are designed to help make life sound better, particularly for people with mild to moderately-severe hearing loss. There are numerous benefits to reducing the strain of trying to hear or trying to keep up with someone who is simply speaking too fast, including: stress reduction, increased well-being, and more pleasant interpersonal connections.
From the iPhone to BeHear: Why, as an audiologist, I decided to also become an engineer
Suhail explains his journey and how BeHear hearing technology bridges the gap between audiology and smartphone technology with an app that gives the user control over their hearing.
When the first iPhone was released, back in 2007, I envisioned a revolution in my field of audiology. If it would be possible to connect between the mobile phone and hearing aids, this could create new hearing technology and empower hearing aid users in a completely new way – instead of being completely dependent on the audiologist to tune their device, users could access some of the technological features and control their own hearing definitions.
The smartphone industry began to flourish, and it was obvious to me that, as a result, hearing rehabilitation and the hearing aid industry would forever change.
My name is Suhail Habib Allah and I am an audiologist. I am also an electrical engineer with a specialty in software programming. My dream was to bridge the gap between audiology and technology and develop a device that empowers the user with more control over their hearing while providing high-fidelity sound.
Enter, BeHear.
In 2015, I joined Alango Technologies and took a leading role in the development of the BeHear product line: hearables that provide cutting edge hearing technology at minimal effort for the user. BeHear hearing amplifiers are powerful, professional hearing enhancement solutions.
BeHear devices are a combination of a hearing amplification headset and a dedicated app that enables user control over sound definitions. The app walks the user through the set up and fine tuning of what he or she hears. Front end algorithms were incorporated to improve the SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) in complex listening situations. Hearing mode presets were designed to help the user switch between different modes in real time.
The core of the app and the element on which the sound customization is based is our hearing test. Accurate hearing screening has always been the foundation of successful rehabilitation and device fitting, it’s no different for BeHear. Our innovation is putting a professional quality screening tool in the hands of the user. We knew that the customization capabilities would differentiate our offering. That’s why we invested a lot of time developing the hearing test, putting it through extensive field testing and fine tuning of capabilities before its release.
In the second stage of BeHear development, we worked on the fitting formula. Our goal was to deliver crystal clear, sharp sound, providing users a comfortable sound range, thus reducing listening strain and enabling comfortable use for extended periods of time.
We developed a fitting formula based on equalization of the of the loudness dynamic range across the frequency spectrum, giving more weight and emphasizing the high frequencies – especially in the region 2-4 KHz. This formula, combined with some of the company’s proprietary technology, resulted in an industry-disruptive assistive hearing device with clear advantages:
- high end sound enhancement features – the quality of a hearing aid in the form of an easy to adopt hearable;
- disrupting the process of getting a hearing rehabilitation device – reducing the timeframe between when a person recognizes that he or she needs hearing help and getting a device can be significant in preventing further hearing degradation, in addition to maintaining quality of life. The old, complex and prolonged process is replaced with a new streamlined option;
- gives the users more independence and control – this is important for emotional wellbeing!
- affordable – cost is known to be one of the significant barriers in adopting hearing aids. BeHear makes quality hearing accessible to all.
It’s been over a decade since I first began this journey. Learning to be an engineer as well as an audiologist enabled me to realize my vision of leveraging technology to create a new hearing experience. It also provided me the opportunity to play a significant role in the development of BeHear, which is making life sound better for people, worldwide.
Written by Suhail Habib Allah, BeHear Chief Audiologist
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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.
Need Amplification, But Not Yet Ready for a Hearing Aid?
If you have a hearing problem but don’t think you’re ready for a hearing aid, the BeHear NOW headset is a great halfway house.
So writes Mark Sparrow, Senior Contributor of Consumer Tech for Forbes. Mr. Sparrow is a technology journalist specializing in audio, computing and photography, and he has written a detailed review of the BeHear NOW assistive hearing headset.
In summary, Mr. Sparrow writes: “The BeHear NOW headset is a very clever device that really can help with hearing problems. It’s ideal for TV, cinema, lectures and even social occasions if you can bear chatting while wearing earphones. The product is well made, and a lot of thought has gone into it and the app. The audio quality is very good thanks to the large driver units in each earpiece.”