First hearing aid app dedicated to hearing fitness honored by world’s leading consumer technology awards program
Oticon, Inc. announced today that the Oticon HearingFitness™ App, the first hearing aid app dedicated to hearing fitness, has won a 2018 CES Innovation Award, the world’s leading consumer technology awards program. Oticon will introduce the HearingFitness App in 2018 for use in conjunction with Opn hearing aids. The new app will track hearing aid use, listening environments and other behavior, gathering and collating data with measurements of heart rate, sleep patterns and other health markers for other wearable devices. The new technology is designed to give Opn users advice and encouragement on ways to hear better, protect their hearing and stay healthier.1
Hearing Loss & Dementia
Untreated hearing loss has long been associated with cognitive decline. A recent study published in The Lancet on dementia prevention, intervention and care concluded that, from midlife, hearing loss is the biggest risk factor in later development of dementia. “A growing body of evidence is indicating that the social isolation brought on by untreated hearing loss is a big risk factor for dementia and that hearing aids may well help minimize that impact,” said Don Schum, PhD, Vice President of Audiology for Oticon, Inc. “The HearingFitness App will encourage routine use of hearing aids and empower users with the feedback they need to take charge of their long-term health and well-being through healthy hearing habits today.”
A “Brain First” Approach
For more than 20 years, Oticon researchers at the Eriksholm Research Centre have focused on the development of BrainHearing™ technologies that help the brain make sense of sound so that people with a hearing impairment can maintain the ability and mental energy to engage socially. This “brain first” approach will help drive the success of the HearingFitness App. Oticon Opn™ hearing aids with BrainHearing will analyze sound environments, measure and track hearing aid use, and export recorded data to the Oticon HearingFitness App for further analysis. By providing actual use and relevant user feedback, the app will help people to optimize use of their hearing aids.
The CES Innovation Awards are sponsored by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) ™, the producer of CES 2018, the global gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Oticon will exhibit at the upcoming CES 2018 from January 9-12 in Las Vegas. The Oticon HearingFitness App will be among the outstanding consumer electronics showcased in a gallery of 2018 award honorees on the conference floor.
For more information on the entire Oticon Opn family, visit www.Oticon.com/Opn.
1www.thelancet.com Published online July 20, 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31363-6 1