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☆ Apple's AirPods just challenged over-the-counter hearing aids
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-10 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewApple has the over-the-counter hearing aid market in its sights — and execs in the audiology space are likely sitting up straight after Monday's announcement by the tech giant. The AirPods Pro 2 — first launched in 2022 and refreshed in 2023 — will soon feature a "clinical-grade, over-the-counter Hearing Aid feature" via a software update slated for the fall, Apple said. Related storiesThe AirPods Pro 2 retail for $249, while over-the-counter hearing aids can range from $99 to $3,000, according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA). Apple's new hearing-focused features for the AirPods Pro 2 are multifaceted. AdvertisementThe Hearing Aid feature on AirPods Pro 2 can boost voices, media, and phone calls, Apple says.

Persons: —, Apple, Johns Hopkins, Dr, Nicholas Reed Organizations: Service, Business, Apple, Food and Drug Administration, Street, World Health Organization, WHO, National Council, Aging, AirPods Locations: Germany, Japan

☆ Meet the executive who found his calling in Singapore restoring hearing for millions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Sponsor Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

He runs manufacturing operations at WS Audiology, a global leader in the hearing aid industry. During my recent visit to WSA's regional headquarters in Singapore, I met with Marcin Dabrowski, director of manufacturing. In 2019, he jumped at the opportunity to join hearing aid manufacturing at the WSA Singapore headquarters, where he also relocated with his family. Starting as a senior manager, he quickly rose to a position overseeing manufacturing operations at the Singapore facility, where he manages WSA's global product volume. He's immensely proud of the awareness his work and WSA's mission have brought to the millions of people worldwide facing hearing loss.

Persons: Marcin Dabrowski, Kris LeBoutillier, he's, Dabrowski Organizations: WS Audiology, WSA, WSA Singapore, Changi, ExploreAI, Insider Studios, Singapore Economic Development Board Locations: Poland, Singapore, Asia, Denmark, Germany, Asia Pacific, Philippines

New rankings of business, education, engineering, law, medical and nursing programs will be unveiled on April 9 as part of the 2024 edition of Best Graduate Schools. Finally, U.S. News will again update its annual rankings of graduate programs in public affairs, public health schools and programs, and computer science. That last ranking, referred to as the Most Diverse Medical Schools, takes into account Black, Hispanic, Native American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander enrollment. Prospective students seeking such information, along with the full rankings, should access the subscription-based U.S. News Graduate School Compass. The full law school rankings and data will be free to all users.

Persons: Robert Graham Organizations: Graduate Schools, U.S . News, News, . News, Robert, Robert Graham Center, American Academy of Family Physicians, Medical, News Graduate School Compass Locations: U.S, audiology

☆ Video gamers may be risking hearing loss or tinnitus, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“One study showed that individuals who play video games for longer times are at higher risk of developing hearing loss or tinnitus.”Tinnitus refers to an internal sensation of a ringing, buzzing or roaring sound in one or both ears. That’s why the study’s authors wondered what the relationship with hearing loss and tinnitus might be — especially since many games also have loud sudden sounds such as gunshots or engines revving. “This can result in temporary hearing loss or ringing in the ears,” she added. But hearing damage is permanent, and exposure to high-intensity sounds when young could make kids more vulnerable to developing age-related hearing loss later, so the authors have urged the importance of prevention. “Key warning signs of hearing loss include experiencing tinnitus, difficulties hearing high-pitched sounds or difficulties following conversations,” Dillard said.

Persons: ”, Dr, Lauren Dillard, De, Swanepoel wasn’t, Dillard, ” Dillard, Janet Choi, Choi wasn’t, ” Swanepoel, Swanepoel, “, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, BMJ Public, University of Pretoria, WHO, University of Colorado School of Medicine, “, World Health Organization, International Telecommunication Union, US Centers for Disease Control, University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine Locations: South Africa

☆ Pleo appoints new CFO as it looks to get in shape for IPO
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-13 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Danish fintech firm Pleo has appointed a new chief financial officer, the company told CNBC exclusively, beefing up its executive team — a sign the company is readying itself for an eventual initial public offering. Most notably, Lonning had experience as CFO at Danish food enzyme maker Chr Hansen. Chr Hansen, which is listed on the Danish stock exchange, is one of Denmark's most valuable publicly listed firms, with a market cap of more than $10 billion. The European Union recently approved a $22 billion merger between Chr Hansen and competitor Novozymes. That's a dilemma for companies, but even more so for the lifestyle of Pleo and tech companies."

Persons: Pleo, Soren Westh Lonning, Chr Hansen, Lonning, Novozymes Organizations: CNBC, Danish bioscience, WS Audiology, Danish, European Union

☆ Ford F-150 trucks emitting 'ear piercing' noise from speakers, owners complain
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Ford has gotten about 100 complaints from F-150 truck owners who say the speakers in their vehicles are emitting a loud, annoying noise that sounds like static, or glass shattering, and which cannot be shut off. The automaker confirmed the complaints and said it has come up with a software fix that addresses the problem. But it has yet to issue a full recall to notify owners of the potential problem and the fix. The company said complaints have come primarily from owners of the gas and hybrid versions of the F-150, which is the auto industry’s best-selling US vehicle. A spokesperson for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the agency is “aware of the issue and to date has received multiple vehicle owner complaints.

Persons: New York CNN — Ford, Ford Organizations: New, New York CNN, Expedition, National, Traffic Safety Administration, Wall Street, Apple, American Academy of Audiology Locations: New York

☆ TympaHealth, a startup making hearing tests more accessible, just raised $23 million with this 27-slide pitch deck
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

TympaHealth has raised $23 million from Octopus Ventures for its hearing assessment platform. The London-based startup aims to make hearing diagnostic tests more accessible outside of hospitals. A startup that enables clinicians to perform hearing assessments outside of hospital settings has raised $23 million in fresh funds. TympaHealth founder and CEO Dr Krishan Ramdoo said the goal of the company was to make hearing and ear care more accessible. Despite this, waiting times for hearing services can stretch from 12 to 16 weeks given increasing pressures on the National Health Service's hearing care services, Ramdoo added.

☆ Study reveals how treating hearing loss could impact dementia risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Treating hearing loss could mean reducing the risk for dementia, according to a new study. Hearing loss may increase the risk for dementia, but using hearing aids lowered the risk so it’s similar to those without hearing loss, according to the study published Thursday in The Lancet. A 2020 Lancet commission on dementia prevention, intervention and care suggested hearing loss may be associated with around 8% of dementia cases, but this study found that the use of hearing aids reduced the risk to levels similar to people without hearing loss, the study said. “A recent study showed that only 15% of US adults with hearing loss use hearing aids,” De Sousa said. The Hearing Loss Association of America still supports multiple avenues for addressing hearing loss, Hamlin said.

☆ Walmart to nearly double its U.S. health center locations in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, March 2 (Reuters) - U.S. retailer Walmart Inc (WMT.N) said on Thursday it would open 28 new healthcare centers in the United States next year, including its first ones in Missouri and Arizona. By the end of 2024, the nation's largest retailer by revenue will have more than 75 Walmart Health centers across the United States, it said in a statement. Located inside Walmart Supercenters, the new Health centers will cover about 5,750 square feet and offer services including primary care, dental care, behavioral health, labs and X-ray, audiology and telehealth. The company operated 32 Walmart Health care centers at the end of 2022 and plans to open 17 more this year. Walmart will open the first of the new Health centers in the first quarter of 2024, and end the year with 10 locations in Dallas, eight in Houston, six in Phoenix and four in Kansas City, it said.

☆ Hearing loss: 1 billion people at risk from unsafe listening
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Turning down the racket isn’t just for disgruntled parents — a new study has shown it could protect more than 1 billion people at risk for hearing loss. “We estimated that 0.67 to 1.35 billion individuals aged 12-34 years worldwide likely engage in unsafe listening practices,” and are therefore at risk for hearing loss, said lead study author Lauren Dillard via email. If that goes on for too long, they can become permanently damaged, resulting in hearing loss, tinnitus or both. Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of scientific articles regarding unsafe listening practices published between 2000 and 2021 across three databases, the study said. Primary prevention in early adults is critical to avoid earlier onset and accelerated age-related hearing loss.”

☆ Thanks to a new rule, you can now save thousands buying over-the-counter hearing aids at stores like Walmart, Best Buy, or CVS
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The FDA estimates that the OTC hearing aids can lower the average cost of a pair of hearing aids by $3,000. Not all private healthcare plans pay for exams for hearing aids, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids or hearing-aid fittings. Creed said it's important that people know OTC hearing aids are not replacing prescription hearing aids, and they don't minimize the importance of working with an audiologist or medical professional to get hearing aids. WalmartBest Buy will have around 20 different kinds of hearing aids online this week, and will sell hearing aids in around 300 stores by the end of October. If the company were to eventually sell AirPods as hearing aids, they would likely be less expensive than a pair of traditional hearing aids and break stigmas around wearing hearing aids, Dr. Nicholas Reed, an audiologist at Johns Hopkins told the WSJ last year.

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