Hearing Economics

“Not your father’s Oldsmobile” was a 1980s ad campaign to shake the geriatric stigma attached to such cars by featuring an “Aerotech” futuristic model (Fig 1). Likewise, “Not your grandfather’s hearing aid” is a recurring theme in our industry  as technology moves to reduce stigma and introduce integrated, futuristic audio processing systems (feature image above) which use hearing aids and wireless

Charting patent trends can track technological innovation and stagnation by proxy variables such as geography (countries, metropolitan areas), industry concentration, education (proximity of universities, proportion of PhDs), income per capita, etc. One measure is growth and dominance of patent classes by an industry or company.  Of interest to the hearing aid industry is its representation in Class H04R patents. That

by Harvey Abrams, PhD. “Peeling the Onion” is a monthly column by Harvey Abrams, PhD. After the manic flurry of activity during the last quarter of 2016, it seems that we’re in a bit of a lull (in the hearing aid world, at least). As a matter of fact, we haven’t even seen the reintroduction of the Warren-Grassley “Over-the-Counter Hearing

The Audiology Labor Force series showed a stationary, or possibly decreasing, audiology workforce from 2000-2015, despite a median nominal wage increase of $2100/year over the same period (see feature image).  Does this mean that our profession lacks career appeal?   Probably not, considering audiology’s consistently high ranking in “best jobs” lists compiled by US News and World Reports and Time

US Patent #9544700 by inventors Sunil Puria and Rodney Perkins, was awarded to EarLens Corp. on January 10, 2017.  Coming in at 22 pages and 12 illustrations (c.f., feature image),  “Optically Coupled Active Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis,” is what they call a total package.  Here’s a sample of its contents: A concise anatomy course.   The patent starts with a fast-paced primer

by Barry A. Freeman, Ph.D. and Ian Windmill, Ph.D. In the January/February AAA President’s Message, Dr. Ian Windmill discusses the recent FDA, NAS, and legislative activities surrounding affordability and accessibility to hearing care.  He notes that Audiology “suffers from an access issue. There simply are not enough audiologists…to meet current demand” and we shouldn’t be surprised by these federal activities.    Anticipated

by Harvey Abrams, PhD. “Peeling the Onion” is a monthly column by Harvey Abrams, PhD. As we all know by now, the third shoe (or was it a boot) dropped with a loud thud heard ’round the industry. The FDA appears to be investigating the feasibility of creating a new category of basic hearing aids that adults can purchase as an

  Samsung phone and washer technologies exploded in 2016, but and not in a good way.  Thankfully, those technologies didn’t show up in hearing aids because Samsung has yet to enter the FDA-approved US hearing aid market, despite strong expectations that it would do so in 2016. That hasn’t stopped Samsung from its end run march to redefine hearing device

The number of hearing device patents granted annually to the Big 6 manufacturers tripled in the last decade (see feature image above), peaking in 2012 and leveling off since then, by Hearing Economic’s estimation.1   The 2012 peak is mainly due to a flurry of patents awarded to Siemens (now Sivantos) that year.   online pharmacy purchase neurontin without prescription

Last week’s post described a world of audiology in which median wage has increased by $2100/year on average for the last 15 years, yet the audiology workforce has remained flat.  This scenario, shown in the feature image above, is alarming.  Moreover, it is unusual.  Other healthcare professions don’t roll like this.  Today’s post looks at labor forces of audiology and