Staying ahead of the technology curve means strengthening your competitive advantage. That is why we give you data-driven innovation insights into the healthcare industry. This time, you get to discover 5 hand-picked startups developing hearing aid & repair solutions.
Global Startup Heat Map: 5 Top Hearing Aid & Repair Solutions
The 5 startups you will explore below are chosen based on our data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and relevance of technology, among others. This analysis is based on the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 1.3 million startups & scaleups globally.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the 5 startups & scaleups our Innovation Researchers curated for this report. Moreover, you get insights into regions that observe a high startup activity and the global geographic distribution of the 140 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.
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Augmented Bionics manufactures a Non-Surgical Bionic Hearing Aid
Hearing is an important sense and any impairment can lead to a significant reduction in quality of life. A large portion of the global population is affected by hearing disabilities with a subset experiencing severe hearing loss. Conventional solutions such as hearing aids to amplify sounds do not provide any additional benefit for severe cases and surgical solutions are often high-risk. That is why startups are developing hearing aid solutions for severe cases without the need for surgeries.
Australian startup Augmented Bionics develops a non-surgical bionic hearing aid for people with a high degree of hearing loss. The device uses Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to stimulate the hearing nerves in deaf people. As the device does not require surgical treatment or specialized knowledge to install, the cost of the product is significantly lower than traditional hearing aids thereby making it more accessible.
Lively creates Bluetooth Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are an important tool for people with hearing impairment as well as for the people surrounding them. However, many people have a negative image associated with using hearing aids and some users find the process of visiting their audiologists to adjust their hearing aids burdensome. Discreet hearing aids that provide a range of smart wireless functions are one answer to this challenge.
US-based startup Lively manufactures wireless hearing aid powered by Bluetooth technology. Patients can purchase the FDA-approved device by taking a hearing test online and getting the device delivered to their doorstep. An audiologist can then remotely fine-tune the hearing aid using the mobile application provided for the device. The device also encourages more users to wear it thanks to its subtle design which hides it behind the wearer’s ear.
Arioso Systems develops Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Speakers for Hearing Aids
Developers and manufacturers of most hearing enhancement devices use simple in-ear devices to amplify sounds while focusing on external devices for sound processing and adaptation. However, hearing aids are constantly being updated to keep up with trends such as wireless charging, wireless connectivity, active noise filtering, and more. Today, startups are using the developments in MEMS technology to improve the performance of speakers used in applications such as hearing aids, ear-phones, etc.
German startup Arioso Systems specializes in the manufacturing of highly flexible MEMS-based speakers. Their speaker uses hundreds of sound-generating beams to generate sounds rather than using a membrane. The use of beams over membranes gives more flexibility in the design process and offers their clients more efficient and integrable speakers for use in devices such as hearing aids.
Decibeltx specializes in Hearing Restoration Therapeutics
In the field of hearing restoration, nearly all solutions are designed to treat the problem through hardware interventions such as hearing aids and implants. There is a distinct lack of medical solutions that target the underlying problem that is the cause of hearing disabilities. That is why startups are using advancements in biotechnology to develop regenerative therapies that restore hearing functions by targeting hair cells within the inner ear.
US BioTech startup Decibeltx builds a proprietary platform using single-cell genomics, bioinformatics analyses, and precision gene therapy technology. The purpose of their platform is to selectively replace genes for the treatment of congenital, monogenic hearing loss and to regenerate inner ear hair cells. The resulting therapeutic treatments are used to treat hearing and balance disorders through the restoration of hair cell functionality.
Whisper provides Smart Hearing Aids
A large portion of hearing aid users are elderly and require constant use of hearing aids. Traditional hearing aids work by amplifying the sounds received, however, this includes not only voice but all sounds from the environment. This means that unwanted and uncomfortable sounds are amplified as well, resulting in discomfort to the wearer and subsequently causes them to stop using it. Hence startups are leveraging sound analytics technology to create hearing aids that only amplify voices and not the environment itself.
US-based startup Whisper.Ai creates a smart hearing aid system that uses a continuously improving sound separation system to create a better hearing experience. The system includes a wireless earpiece, Whisper Brain, a sound analytics and separation engine, and the Whisper App which serves to monitor, update and interact with the system. The device improves the user experience of hearing aids for both the wearer and healthcare professionals who provide them.
Discover all Healthcare Startups
To keep you up-to-date on the latest technology and emerging solutions, we provide you with actionable innovation intelligence – quickly and exhaustively. You can download our free Healthcare Innovation Report and discover new business opportunities or save your time & let us look into your areas of interest. We provide you with an exhaustive overview of new startups, scaleups & emerging technologies that matter to you.
