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Exploring Phonak’s Approach to Real-World Hearing Aid Testing
This Week in Hearing, July 2025 It can be incredibly difficult for hearing care providers to sort data and claims by hearing aids manufacturers, let alone the general public. It was therefore fantastic to catch Michael Preuss, Sr. Mgr Product Audiology at Sonova Group in Switzerland, when he was at their US HQ near me in Illinois to discuss their measurement methods and how that correlates to real-world experience. Michael was very open and did a great job sharing in a way that HCPs and others can readily understand. Also an interesting call to action at the end.
Improving Hearing Care Access in Underserved Regions Through Community-Based Training
This Week in Hearing, July 2025 What does it take to build sustainable hearing care infrastructure in underserved regions of the world? In this inspiring interview, Andrew Bellavia is joined by Richard Brown, Chairman and President of the Starkey Hearing Foundation, and Alfred Mwamba, Executive Director of the Starkey Hearing Institute in Zambia, to explore the foundation’s evolution from mission-based outreach to a scalable, community-empowered model of hearing healthcare.
Exploring Innovations in Hearing Care: The Future of Devices, Delivery, and Demand
This Week in Hearing, June 2025 Hearing care is evolving rapidly—are we ready for what’s next? In this conversation from the 2025 Future of Hearing Healthcare Conference, Andy Bellavia and Dave Kemp explore the trends reshaping hearing healthcare. From the growing influence of AI and consumer tech to the mainstreaming of OTC hearing aids, they discuss how new technologies are expanding access and improving outcomes for people with hearing loss.
Hearing Loss and Stigma: Breaking Down Barriers to Care. Live Panel Discussion from FHH 2025
This Week in Hearing, May 2025 Stigma remains one of the most enduring and complex barriers in hearing healthcare—shaping public perceptions of hearing loss, delaying help-seeking behaviors, and limiting the adoption of hearing technology across all age groups. In this insightful panel discussion, consumers, clinicians, and industry leaders come together to explore how stigma shows up in clinical settings, family conversations, and broader societal messaging.
OTC Hearing Glasses Hit the U.S. Market: Inside the Nuance Audio Launch
This Week in Hearing, April 2025 Nuance Audio has officially introduced its over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid glasses to the U.S. market. In this episode, recorded at the launch event in New York, Andrew Bellavia speaks with Davide D’Alena of Nuance Audio and EssilorLuxottica, and John Luna, about the product’s development, regulatory journey, and plans for rollout.
Hearing Aid Fittings Get Smarter: NAL Introduces NAL-NL3 and COSI 2.0
This Week in Hearing, April 2025 In this episode, recorded at the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) ahead of public release, host Andrew Bellavia sits down with Dr. Pádraig Kitterick to explore the ground-breaking advancements behind NAL-NL3 and COSI 2.0. Together, they dive into the major updates to the world’s most widely used hearing aid fitting formula. The conversation continues with a look at COSI 2.0, a modernized approach to identifying patient needs using AI-enhanced self-reflection and goal-setting tools. These innovations represent a major leap toward more personalized, evidence-based hearing care.
Inside the Auracast Debut at the Sydney Opera House: A New Era in Hearing Accessibility
This Week in Hearing, March 2025 In this special episode, Andrew Bellavia takes us behind the scenes of this groundbreaking event where he explores the powerful capabilities of Auracast and its transformative impact on hearing accessibility. Andrew reflects on his personal experience with Auracast in his hearing aids, comparing its stereo streaming capabilities to traditional systems. He discusses how Auracast enhanced the concert atmosphere, delivering exceptional sound clarity and a more immersive listening experience for hearing aid users. The conversation also explores the broader impact of Auracast, with insights from key industry leaders including Janelle Ryan of the Sydney Opera House; Peter Karlstromer, CEO of GN, Noelle Chun, Senior Product Marketing Lead at Google, and Pádraig Kitterick, Head of Audiological Sciences at National Acoustic Laboratories.
How Personalized Audio is Making Hearing Care More Accessible with Audeara CEO, James Fielding
This Week in Hearing, March 2025 In this conversation, Dr. James Fielding, CEO of Audeara, takes us through their journey from its early days of custom audio devices to its expansion into hearing aid solutions. Audeara’s innovative approach is reshaping the way people experience sound, offering tailored audio experiences that meet individual needs. Fielding highlights key products like Audeara Buds and shares how the company is forming strategic partnerships with leading audiology brands.
Signia Pure Charge&Go BCT IX: Taking a Closer Look
This Week in Hearing, March 2025 At the US launch event, host Andrew Bellavia meets with Mike O'Neill, President of US Wholesale at WS Audiology, and Lisa Perhacs, AuD, Senior Clinical Development Manager at Signia, to learn more about the features and functionality of the new BCT IX, especially their reasons for choosing to support Bluetooth Classic. They also discuss how the real-time AI assistant (Signia Assistant) adapts to user preferences, allowing for adjustments in different environments to enhance the hearing experience.
Exploring ReSound Vivia Hearing Aids: AI-Powered Sound, Bluetooth LE Audio, and More
This Week in Hearing, February 2025 GN’s new ReSound Vivia hearing aids integrate advanced AI to deliver a more adaptive and personalized listening experience including Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast™ capabilities for expanded accessibility and connectivity. To gain deeper insights into these innovations, Andrew Bellavia and Shari Eberts interviewed Laurel Christensen, Chief Audiology Officer at GN, and Andrew Dittberner, Chief Technology Officer, at the US launch event.
AI Powered Sound Bubbles: Transforming How We Hear in Noise
This Week in Hearing, December 2024 Shyam Gollakota, a professor at the University of Washington and digital health innovator, is pioneering a revolutionary solution to the 'cocktail party problem,' a longstanding challenge in hearing technology. His team has created a groundbreaking "sound bubble" device that enables users to amplify voices within a specific range while minimizing external noise and distractions. Designed to adapt dynamically to different listening environments, this technology provides a customizable solution for clearer communication in noisy settings.
Mimi and Knowles Team Up to Personalize Your Listening Experience
This Week in Hearing, December 2024 The integration of hearing health into mainstream consumer audio technology is gaining momentum, driven by innovative collaborations like that of Mimi Hearing Technologies and Knowles Corp. Florian Schneidmodel and Mehul Kochar explore how Mimi’s personalization technology and Knowles’ balanced armature receivers are transforming devices like true wireless earbuds, making tailored audio experiences accessible to more users.
How AI is Transforming OTC Hearing Aid Support: Inside Tuned’s Innovative Approach
This Week in Hearing, November 2024 How can AI make the journey to better hearing smoother for OTC hearing aid users? In this episode from the EUHA show floor, Tuned co-founders Omri Gavish and Ron Ganot, joined by Board Advisor Delain Wright, discuss their recent collaboration with JVC to introduce hearing aids equipped with streaming and rechargeability. More importantly, they reveal Tuned’s AI-based care model, which helps users acclimate to their hearing aids through personalized guidance.
Exploring Starkey's Edge AI Hearing Aids: Always-On DNN, LE Audio, Health Features and more
This Week in Hearing, October 2024 At the Starkey US launch event, Andrew Bellavia sat with Dave Fabry and Achin Bhowmik o delve into the advanced capabilities of the Edge AI hearing aids, discussing the improvements over the previous Genesis AI model. They highlight the always-on deep neural network (DNN), which continuously adapts to different sound environments, offering a seamless experience for users. Additionally, the discussion covers the health-focused features of the Edge AI, such as fall detection and the ability to track physical activity through built-in sensors. The integration of Auracast™ and LE Audio showcases the future of connected hearing aids, offering advanced streaming capabilities and greater compatibility with various audio sources.
ADA AuDacity 2024 Featured Keynote: Innovation Update in Hearing Care
This Week in Hearing, September 2024 At the 2024 Academy of Doctors of Audiology conference, a panel featuring Andrew Bellavia, Steve Taddei, and David Kemp provided insights into current innovations across the spectrum of hearing healthcare.
Inside Sony's CRE-C20 Hearing Aids: A Detailed Overview with Annie Duchen
This Week in Hearing, August, 2024 Sony expanded its OTC hearing aid lineup with the launch of the CRE-C20 - a rechargeable completely-in-canal (CIC) style device. Andrew Bellavia sat down with Annie Duchen, AuD, F-AAA, to discuss the launch and delve into the new device's features and upgrades.
Exploring Phonak’s Revolutionary Infinio Hearing Aids with Those Who Made It Happen
This Week in Hearing, August 2024 Through a series of live interviews and added color, host Andrew Bellavia takes us on an in-depth exploration of Phonak's latest hearing aid platform, Infinio, which features a number of benefits both for the HCP at fitting and for the end-user in daily life. The most exciting innovation is in the model named Sphere which incorporates a powerful deep neural network chip to perform speech and noise separation in an ear-worn device for the very first time. Go beyond the headlines and find out why Sphere is a seminal moment in hearing device innovation.
Olympian Aaron Small on Hearing Loss and Collaboration with Phonak
This Week in Hearing, July 2024 Host Andrew Bellavia is joined by U.S. sprint kayak champion and Olympic athlete Aaron Small, who has recently been named a Global Brand Ambassador for Phonak. As he prepares to compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris later this month, Aaron shares his journey of overcoming hearing loss challenges, balancing a rigorous training schedule, and excelling academically. In their candid conversation, Aaron touches on the stigma associated with hearing loss and the significance of advocating for hearing health. He explains how his partnership with Phonak enables him to inspire others and promote inclusivity.
OrCam Hear: Leveraging AI Sound Source Separation to Tackle the Hearing in Noise Problem
This Week in Hearing, July 2024 Andrew Bellavia explores how OrCam is leveraging its expertise in AI-based devices to tackle the "cocktail party problem" in with the new OrCam Hear. The device uses advanced AI to isolate and enhance specific voices in noisy environments, helping significantly improve the speech-to-noise ratio.
LE Audio and Auracast™: Taking Audio Accessibility to the Next Level
This Week in Hearing, June 2024 An insightful discussion with live demos describing how cutting-edge connectivity is revolutionizing hearing care through Bluetooth® LE Audio and Auracast™. Originally presented by Andrew Bellavia at the 2024 Australian College of Audiology conference on May 9th, this session delves into the transformative impact of these technologies on everyday listening experiences, enabling people to hear their best in various situations. The conversation highlights the significant advantages of LE Audio and Auracast over current systems, emphasizing the benefits for both hearing care professionals and their patients.
OTC Hearing Aid Survey: The 2% Conundrum. Key Insights and Implications of ASHA’s Survey Findings with Dr. Janice Trent
This Week in Hearing, November 2023 Andrew Bellavia sits down with Dr. Janice Trent, VP of Audiology Practice at ASHA to break down the findings of ASHA’s survey on over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. They discuss the surprisingly low adoption rate, with only 2% of individuals interested in OTC hearing aids having purchased them in the past year. The conversation touches on various factors contributing to this trend, such as cost, lack of confidence in device effectiveness, and limited awareness among consumers.
Inside ReSound's Nexia Hearing Aid Technology: A Closer Look with Laurel Christensen, PhD
This Week in Hearing, October 2023 Laurel Christensen, Chief Audiology Officer at GN Hearing, joins host Andrew Bellavia for a deep dive into the company's latest hearing technology: ReSound Nexia. They discuss the evolution of hearing aid technology over the past decade and how GN's latest devices are equipped with latest technology, including Bluetooth® Low Energy Audio (LE Audio) and seamless compatibility with Auracast™.
The Signia IX Hearing Aid Platform Explained: A Closer Look with Brian Taylor, AuD
This Week in Hearing, October 2023 This week, Andy Bellavia interviews fellow co-host Brian Taylor, to discuss the upcoming release of Signia's new Integrated Experience (IX) hearing aid platform. The conversation explores the platform's innovative features, including real-time conversation enhancement, advanced beamforming, and its readiness for future technologies like Auracast.
How MindMics is Transforming Earbuds into Acoustic Health Sensors
This Week in Hearing, September 2023 MindMics has developed technology that allows users to monitor heart rate and other health characteristics acoustically, using the ear canal as a microphone. Dr. Anna Barnacka, the founder and CEO of MindMics, explains that their technology utilizes sound waves generated by the body to provide insights into health, making it a non-invasive and promising method for health monitoring.
Pioneering Efforts to Provide Affordable and Accessible Hearing Care on a Global Scale
This Week in Hearing, September 2023 Andrew Bellavia is joined by Deaftronics co-founder, Tendekayi Katsiga, whose company Deaftronics designs and manufactures affordable hearing aids that utilize solar power while promoting awareness and accessibility to hearing care solutions in underserved regions, and Georgia Tech professor Dr. Saad Bhamla, whose lab has been working towards creating a $1 hearing aid.
Hearing Loss, Fatigue, and Cognitive Well-Being: A Closer Look at the Latest Research
This Week in Hearing, August 2023 Andrew Bellavia is joined by two researchers from the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Nicholas Reed, AuD, and Kening Jiang, MHS, discuss their research into the complex relationships between hearing loss, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive decline.
Apple’s Growing Interest in Hearing Health and How it Could Reshape Public Perception on Hearing Loss
This Week in Hearing, July 2023 Fellow co-hosts Dave Kemp and Andrew Bellavia sit down for a conversation about recent rumors that Apple is planning to get further involved into the hearing space and whether or not the company would actually consider producing an OTC hearing aid. Due to Apple’s massive size and cultural influence, they discuss how the company could positively influence societal perceptions around treating hearing loss and address stigma.
How Intel is Improving Accessibility for People with Hearing Loss
This Week in Hearing, June 2023 Intel’s Head of Accessibility, Darryl Adams, joined host Andrew Bellavia to discuss Intel’s commitment to improve accessibility for individuals with hearing loss and other disabilities including their collaboration with 3DP4ME, utilizing 3D printing tech to develop custom-fitted hearing aids in developing countries. Another area of focus is improving alternative communication for nonverbal people, an outgrowth of their work with Stephen Hawking.
Ear and Hearing Care for All: We Can Make It Happen - Live from FHH 2023
Future of Hearing Healthcare, May 2023 Andrew Bellavia moderated an international panel with three globally-recognized people working to deliver hearing care around the world. In this video originally aired as part of HHTM's Future of Hearing Healthcare event, they shared what works, what needs to be done, and what barriers still exist to fully realize the WHO's goal of "hearing care for all!"
Breaking Through the Traditional: JLab CEO Discusses Vision to Revolutionize the Hearing Aid Market
This Week in Hearing, April 2023 Win Cramer, CEO of JLab, a growing top-5 headphone brand globally, joins host Andrew Bellavia to discuss their hearing health products launched at CES in January. JLab is the first major consumer audio brand to focus on hearing loss prevention and treatment. Given their sheer size and popularity with a younger demographic than that of traditional hearing aid companies, JLab’s entry into the hearing space has the potential to make a big impact.
Inside Starkey's Genesis AI Hearing Aid Technology: A Closer Look with Dave Fabry, Ph.D.
This Week in Hearing, March 2023 Andrew Bellavia hosted Dave Fabry, the Chief Innovation Officer at Starkey, to dig deep into the features & tech behind their new Genesis AI hearing aid and how it improves both the patient and clinician experience. We also discussed future trends in hearing aids as processors become more powerful and efficient.
Innovations in Chip Technology Enabling Hearing & Audio Device Enhancements
This Week In Hearing, October 2022 In March I wrote a LinkedIn article (picked up by Forbes & This Week In Hearing) how true app stores were coming to hearables, and how that could disrupt the FDA's OTC hearing aid rule. That time is not far off as discussed in this 30 min. podcast.
OTC Hearing Aids: Is Proposed Rule Already Obsolete?
This Week In Hearing, March 2022 After reading my article on the same subject, This Week In Hearing invited me on the podcast to explain how developments in the consumer earphone world could make an end run around the OTC hearing aid rule.