Did you know that a healthy social life is a better predictor of longevity than smoking, obesity, and alcohol consumption? In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei speaks with Brandy Heckroodt, the Audiology Development Manager at Phonak, about the connection between hearing loss, social connections, and general health. You'll learn how hearing loss can lead to social isolation and physical inactivity, which can ultimately lead to increased risk of general health probl...
Jun 15, 2022•14 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei speaks with Rick Radia, the Product and Partnership Manager at AudioTelligence. Based in Cambridge (England), AudioTelligence aims to solve the "Cocktail Party Problem" using its Aiso™ for Hearing, which combines Blind Source Separation (BSS) and low-latency noise suppression. Tune in to hear audio samples of Aiso™ for Hearing, and to find out how the technology might help you hear better in noisy environments.
Apr 25, 2022•16 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei talks to Dr. Don Schum, the Head of Audiology at Whisper. Based in San Francisco, Whisper manufactures hearing aids that remove background noise through "denoising", a process that relies on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). In the interview, Dr. Schum provides some history on Whisper's creation and mission, and explains—in layman's terms—how Whisper uses cutting-edge technologies to help Whisper owne...
Mar 23, 2022•17 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In today's episode of the HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei interviews Giles Tongue, CEO & Co-Founder at Chatable. Giles is passionate about conversation enhancement technology, and his company is a frontrunner in the race to revolutionize the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds for the 1.5 billion people who suffer from hearing loss globally. Tune in for an update on the state of the art, and to find out what to expect from this rapidly advancing field of technology.
Feb 15, 2022•14 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In today's episode of The HearingTracker Podcast, host Steve Taddei talks to two creative young entrepreneurs looking to revolutionize the way we hear. Nick Morgan-Jones, the founder of Decibels, wants to throw out the term "hearing aids" and make hearing aids less medical, more fashionable, and a lot more visible. Nick tried hearing aids for the first time when he was 10 years old, but the stigma of wearing hearing aids and going through the healthcare system was enough to put Nick off wearing ...
Jan 19, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In this episode of the HearingTracker podcast, host Steve Taddei interviews Justin Miller, CEO and cofounder of Nuheara. Based in Australia, Nuheara has been an innovator in the consumer wireless earbuds industry since 2016. With their latest product, IQBuds Max, Nuheara offers a robust direct-to-consumer hearing enhancement product, which is widely used as a solution for mild hearing loss.
Dec 09, 2021•18 min•Season 2Ep. 10
48 million Americans suffer from mild-to-moderate hearing loss. And only 14% of Americans with hearing loss currently own a hearing aid. As we move into a new era of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, and telehealth-facilitated hearing care, startups like Lexie and Nuheara are looking to capitalize by offering more convenient, more affordable hearing solutions. And, established industry players are also looking to get in the game too, with GN (ReSound's parent company) bringing a new self-fitt...
Oct 26, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 9
In 2021, most hearing aids can be adjusted remotely, from the comfort and safety of your home. It's easy to connect with an audiologist through video-conferencing services like Zoom, to discuss your experiences and receive intimate private counseling. And there are even direct-to-consumer hearing aids that can be purchased over the internet, with follow-up services provided remotely by licensed hearing healthcare practitioners. Over the next few episodes, we’ll explore how new telehealth technol...
Sep 23, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In today’s episode, we speak with two hearing aid experts to learn about wireless audio streaming in modern hearing aids. Today's hearing aids can stream multimedia and calls from your phone, but also have the ability to tap into shared audio streams through magnetic induction loops, or "hearing loops", which are installed in public spaces like auditoriums and churches. While hearing loops are the current state of the art, we'll also learn about the Bluetooth future of shared audio streams. Toda...
Aug 18, 2021•26 min•Season 2Ep. 7
In today’s episode, we spoke with Valerie James Abbott, the author of the children’s book Padapillo. Padapillo explores the emotional process family members often experience when a young child is unexpectedly diagnosed with hearing loss. Valerie shares her family’s real life journey too. After her daughter Bridget was diagnosed with hearing loss in preschool, the Abbott family did all they could to ensure Bridget's success. Dr. Carmen Jamis, a pediatric and implant audiologist, also joins us on ...
Jun 29, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 6
In today's episode, we talk to leaders from three prominent hearing loss and tinnitus support groups, Tinnitus Hub, Hands & Voices, and the Association of Late Deafened Adults. Whether you are suffering from the effects of hearing loss or tinnitus personally, or have a child or loved one experiencing hearing-related issues, today's episode is a great place to start. These groups are filled with supportive, caring, like-minded individuals, and we can't wait to share their stories with you!...
May 27, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 5
The term "bionic" is defined by Oxford Languages as "having artificial body parts, especially electromechanical ones." In today's episode, we learn about a new type of hearing aid that converts everyday sounds into a series of unique vibrations. Our guest, neuroscientist Dr. David Eagleman, explains how our brains begin to "hear" these vibrations through a process called "sensory substitution". We also talk to cochlear implant wearer Richard Pocker, to learn about challenges of understanding sou...
Apr 21, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 4
A link between COVID-19 and sudden hearing loss has begun to emerge. In this episode of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we speak directly with leading researchers to gain a better understanding of the connection. We also chat with someone who experienced a sudden hearing loss first-hand. In this episode we are joined by Professor Kevin Munro PhD, MSc, Ewing Professor of Audiology, Director of the Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD), and Deputy Director of the NIHR Manchester Biome...
Mar 24, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Search Google for "Hearing Loss Cures" and you'll be inundated with pseudoscientific cures and other quackery. While there is currently no magic pill to cure your hearing problems, there are some legitimate science-backed hearing therapies that have begun to emerge over the past few years. In today's episode, we talk to leading pharmaceutical and digital hearing therapy providers to learn about the current and future prospects for improving your hearing without hearing aids. Thank you to Frequen...
Feb 24, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Science fiction has always depicted a future where humans and robots live side-by-side. We've seen stories where robots help with daily activities, return from the future, and others where humans obtain robotic body parts. Blurring the lines between human and machine altogether. Today, thanks to advancements in medical sciences, our reality isn't that far off from these once futuristic stories. And some of these advancements have allowed us to interface with our hearing system in an almost unthi...
Jan 27, 2021•22 min
Steve Taddei: In season one, we spoke with movers and shakers to learn about hearing loss, new technologies, and the latest research. In those previous discussions, it was evident that we're living in an unprecedented time with amazing hearing technology ... technology that was unimaginable a few short years ago. In case you missed it, we discussed the changing landscape with hearing aid coverage and insurances. Here's an excerpt from episode two with Dr. Cliff Olson. Cliff Olson: We have a lot ...
Jan 24, 2021•1 min
In Episode 8 of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Chad Ruffin, MD, a cochlear implant surgeon in the Seattle, WA area. Dr. Ruffin wears cochlear implants himself, and in the interview, he talks about the challenges he faced while training as surgeon at one of the countries most rigorous otolaryngology residency programs. He also discusses his ongoing efforts to mentor medical students with hearing loss as they navigate the same challenges he did. Learn more about D...
Dec 16, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In Episode 7 of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Kevin Franck, PhD, MBA, Director of Audiology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Faculty at Harvard Medical School. In the interview, Dr. Franck discusses the future of hearing aids and hearing healthcare in United States, with a focus on disruptive technology and how he sees over-the-counter hearing aids improving access to hearing help. Full transcript here: https://www.hearingtr...
Dec 02, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In Episode 6 of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Tina Childress, an Educational Audiologist and late-deafened adult with bilateral cochlear implants. In the interview, Tina discusses her passion for improving accessibility, with a focus on cutting-edge tech solutions like automatic speech recognition (ASR). She also discusses how communication has changed in the COVID-19 era and what you can do to stay connected. You can find all Tina's resources, including lists ...
Nov 18, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In Episode 5 of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Laurel Christensen, PhD, Chief Audiology Officer at GN Hearing. Dr Christensen discusses the latest hearing-enhancement technologies developed by GN, including the new M&RIE (microphone-and-receiver-in-ear) hearing aid form factor, which improves sound quality, sound localization, and wind noise. The new M&RIE is available in the following hearing devices: ReSound One - https://www.hearingtracker.com/hearing...
Nov 04, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In Episode 4 of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Barbara Kelley, the current Executive Director of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). Kelley discusses the challenges her organization has faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To keep members safe, the HLAA converted its annual in-person convention into a virtual research symposium, and numerous Walk4Hearing fundraising events were moved online. Throughout the pandemic, the HLAA has continued to s...
Oct 21, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In Episode 3 of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Nicholas Reed, AuD, assistant professor in the Departments of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Reed discusses his recent work with the ACHIEVE Trial, which is exploring the causal effect that may exist between hearing loss and dementia. He also talks about the importance of b...
Oct 07, 2020•59 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In Episode 2 of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Cliff Olson. Dr Olson is a Board Certified Audiologist and founder of Applied Hearing Solutions in Phoenix, Arizona. He is also an internationally recognized YouTube personality who covers topics related to hearing loss, hearing aids, and hearing care on his channel "Doctor Cliff, AuD". In our interview, Doctor Cliff discusses teleaudiology (telehealth for hearing care), telecoils, Bluetooth, hearables, and more...
Sep 23, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In Episode 1 of the Hearing Tracker Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Achin Bhowmik, CTO and Executive Vice President of Engineering at Starkey Hearing Technologies. Prior to joining Starkey in 2017, Dr Bhowmik was the VP and GM at Intel's Perceptual Computing Group, where he worked on Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and advanced sensor initiatives. At Starkey, Dr. Bhowmik was involved in bringing groundbreaking AI and advanced-sensor technologies to the new S...
Sep 09, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Wondering if The Hearing Tracker Podcast is for you? Host Steve Taddei introduces himself, and provides some background on the mission of the show.
Jun 23, 2020•1 min
