Posted on 06/17/2011 12:26:24 PM PDT by Red Badger
A few years ago, Russ Apfel was looking for something to do.
The semiconductor industry veteran had sold his chip design startup to Silicon Laboratories Inc. in 2005, then he worked for the company before retiring in 2008.
Eventually, he started looking at the hearing aid industry. It made sense, because the devices' digital signal processor chips are firmly in Apfel's area of expertise.
Apfel was surprised to learn that hearing aids can cost several thousand dollars.
"I was appalled," Apfel said. "I couldn't believe how expensive they were."
Part of the reason, he said, is that audiologist visits and other services are bundled in with the price. Users must regularly return to a vendor or audiologist to have their hearing aids adjusted and calibrated.
Eager to get into a new business, Apfel jumped in. After about 20 months of work, his company, Audiotoniq, is unveiling its first hearing aid today at the Hearing Loss Association of America convention in Washington, D.C.
Apfel says his hearing aid will be just as powerful as those currently on the market but that users will be able to adjust the settings using smartphone applications.
Audiotoniq will sell the devices online for $1,500 to $1,800.
Other companies sell hearing aids online. But critics say that online distributors can't provide the necessary evaluation, fitting and training that users need to correctly use their hearing aids.
To compensate for the absence of audiologist visits, Audiotoniq will provide software that trains people how to listen better, as well as online chats and the option to get help by phone.
Craig Champlin , chairman of the University of Texas department of communication sciences and disorders, said that Audiotoniq's device has features that will result in an improved hearing aid.
"But it nonetheless will only go so far," Champlin said.
While a device might give someone more sensitive hearing, users still need coaching and training on new listening techniques, he said. For instance, a person with hearing loss will need help learning how to focus attention on a particular speaker.
"The hearing aid isn't yet smart enough to do that," said Champlin, who is an audiologist. "Audiotoniq is trying to smarten it up, but it's not there yet."
Champlin, who has advised Apfel's company, said that such techniques could possibly be taught online, rather than in person.
Apfel admits the product, which goes on sale in September, won't be for everyone.
"This is not for 90-year-old Aunt Em who doesn't know how to operate her TV remote," he said. "This is for people who are serious, who understand technology, who embrace technology and want to have control of their life."
Apfel and a local investor he declined to name are major backers of the company, which so far has raised about $2.5 million. Company officials will seek more funding this summer.
Harold Mindlin, Audiotoniq's vice president of sales and marketing, is a serial entrepreneur who said he was lured to the company by Apfel.
"Russ is the pied piper," he said. "Everybody bought into his vision."
Apfel said the hearing aid, which will be manufactured in Dallas, could tap into an underserved market.
About 17 percent, or 36 million, of American adults report some hearing loss, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Only 1 of every 5 people who could benefit from a hearing aid wears one, according to the group's website.
Apfel expects that Audiotoniq, which employs just under a dozen people in Austin, will grow to about 30 by year-end. Next year, he expects to hire 30 more.
“It’s about time. I’ve thought for a long time that the hearing impaired were being ripped off by outrageous prices for hearing aids, especially when you compare with other computer and electronic items. I expect the lobbyists for audiologists will try to outlaw these.”
The real reason hearing aids cost thousands of dollars is because of old-fashioned anti-competitive collusion. There’s no way in the world that any hearing aid ought to cost more than $300.00-$400.00.
There’s a lot of potential, and money, involved in correcting hearing loss.
However, there is also a lot of potential innovation that still needs to be done. For example, instead of just selling a hearing aid, why not *rent* a much more complicated device, that over the course of days will do a very thorough hearing analysis in all kinds of normal surroundings?
The unit itself could cost $10,000 or more, and would come with the equivalent of a remote control, so the user could fine tune both hearing aids in any number of situations, say two dozen programmable modes. After use, the device is shipped back to the company, where the data it has collected will be analyzed for that person’s hearing aids.
Users could have a “driving in car” mode, to hear what is being said in the front and back seats. A “noisy restaurant” mode, so they can hear what is being said at their table. A “sporting event” mode for a particular sport they like to attend. Even a “church mode” so they can hear what is being said at a mono-directional distance.
All sorts of possibilities. This is because future hearing aids could be much more complicated, able to strain out extraneous noises, able to directionally and distance focus, even be attuned to particular voices.
Likewise, why limit hearing aids to just two earpieces? If the person wore glasses, while having a microphone in the frame might not be optimal for a full hearing aid, it could provide partial information to the hearing aides to help them “fine tune” sounds. The same with a mike in the lapel, jacket or shirt pocket, or wristwatch.
The further from the aural aids, the more a third or fourth aid could be used to triangulate sounds automatically.
And back to glasses, the person might even have a “heads up” display option, so they could look at one or more persons, and put a “mouse cursor” highlight on them, so the hearing aids would be “directionally interested” in that direction, out of a 360 degree circle around the user. Until either they, or the user, moved beyond a certain distance.
Lots and lots of possibilities, here.
I don’t even know how much hearing loss I actually have! My tinnitus is so loud, and at so many different pitches, it’s hard to take the hearing tests. Whooshing, clicks, beeps and a constant hi pitched white noise whine. Louder than people speak. I need something to address the tinnitus, and I haven’t found anything yet that helps. I don’t want hearing aids blasting in my ears just to make speech, etc., louder than the tinnitus!
Thanks for the ping, Badge!
You can thank the FEDS, and especially the FDA for this clustermuck..............
Done!...........You can hear me now!..............
recalibrated - correct!............
Of course they will....
I use these:
http://www.basspro.com/Hunting-Hunting-Accessories-Listening-Devices/_/N-1z11cxl
14.99 + tax.................
I adjust mine with a small button on the hearing aid, while it is still in my ear. I fail to see how a smart phone app would be an improvement.
Audiotoniq will sell the devices online for $1,500 to $1,800.
Well, at least it's a price improvement.
Oh my gosh! That would be wonderful!! My husband has digital hearing aids. His hearing has changed since he got them, but he refuses to go in to have them re calibrated (if that’s the correct term). It would be great if he could adjust them himself.
Hearing aids typically last about 4 years. After that the clarity is reduced and new ones are in order. I am on my second set by Siemens and love them. They are much better then my first set. They come with 5 channels and a remote control, with on board volume controls.
Louder than people speak. I need something to address the tinnitus, and I haven’t found anything yet that helps. I don’t want hearing aids blasting in my ears just to make speech, etc., louder than the tinnitus!
Hearing aids have volume cut off at 85db to prevent additional hearing loss.
I was at a friend’s house recently. 6 of us at the dining room table and Dan pulled up an app on his smartphone that played sounds and we tested who could hear what. I couldn’t hear any of the sounds but the other adults at the table could. My kids in the other room said they could hear them too.
I wanted to do that too but it wasn't necessary, after trying them in the office I was convinced. That was almost three years ago and I believe it was the best $5,000 I've ever spent. I live in a new world now.
Hearing aids are advancing all the time and I believe that most, if not all hearing loss is pretty much covered now. I never did understand the price tag though.
Find a company that will give you a free trial, I'm sure they are out there.
Don't get just one hearing aid. I've never understood the logic to having a "good ear" and a "bad ear", unless of course you already have good hearing in one and bad in the other.
A deaf-as-a-post ping list? Must be the diesel clatter! Add me, please.
Unfortunately, one of my ears is "mostly dead", and the gain needed to get sound across is above my pain threshold. But I "still" get two aids....both for the "good" ear. Then I alternate them day by day.
Keep your eyes peeled (or perhaps ear to the ground might be more appropriate for the thread topic) for info on adult stem cell treatment for "nerve damage" deafness. Apparently great strides are being made. I've read one case study of a young lady who was majoring in music, who developed a rapidly advancing nerve damage loss to the point that she was virtually totally deaf in one ear and about "half-deaf" in the "good" ear. Her parents were both physicians, and they became aware of a stem cell treatment, so they put her through it. She got about 50% recovery in the "bad" ear, and virtually totally normal hearing in the "good" one.
I think you're missing the point. The "adjustment" referred to isn't the total sound volume, but the channel-by-channel adjustment to match aid response to individual deafness characteristics. Although you can also change total volume as well
For whatever reason, (probably allergies), my hearing loss is highly variable, and the 4 "programs" that are typical for digital aids are insufficient. I really need that "analog type" total sound volume adjustment that a remote would make possible for a digital aid.
No, no, no, these are actually made from potatoes. In a pinch, you could actually eat them.
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I adjust mine with a small button on the hearing aid, while it is still in my ear. I fail to see how a smart phone app would be an improvement.
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Think of a stereo system. Instead of turning up just the volume, and base and treble, you’re running it through a multi-band equalizer. With the smartphone app, you can adjust the various frequencies for a particular environment and situation. Frequently needed settings could be saved as presets.
Thanks for the ping!
I would appreciate being added. Thank you.
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