Subject: Hearing aids versus consumer technology From: Liz Elliott <liz.elliott@xxxxxxxx> Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2012 09:05:25 +0000 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>--Boundary_(ID_7/YI6yHHnF06JUaSxOXy5A) Content-type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Dear List,=0A=0AI'm currently researching an article on hearing aid techno= logy;=0ASpecifically, on why it seems to lag behind audio technology in th= e=0Aconsumer sector, when there would appear to be some significant overla= p=0Ain terms of requirements and techniques (e.g. very low power=0Aconsump= tion, small form factor, miniaturised/solid state audio=0Atransducers, spe= ech-in-noise cleanup techniques etc etc.).=0A=0AObviously hearing aids occ= upy a far smaller market sector than=0Asmartphones, and, being classed as = medical devices, are subject to more=0Astringent regulations, meaning more= development work for less return=EF=BB=BF.=0AIs it simply the case that c= onsumer companies (I'm thinking=0Apredominantly of semiconductor companies= here, rather than the likes of,=0Asay, Apple, who are system integrators = rather than developers) have no=0Ainterest in adapting their technologies = to suit hearing aid=0Aapplications, and it is not cost-effective for heari= ng aid manufacturers=0Ato licence new technology from the consumer compani= es, or even from=0Aacademic institutions, or is there more to it than that= ?=0A=0AI would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the matter, (on= or=0Aoff the record, and on or off list, as you prefer).=0A=0AKind Regard= s,=0A=0ALiz Elliott=0A=0A=0A=0A= --Boundary_(ID_7/YI6yHHnF06JUaSxOXy5A) Content-type: multipart/related; boundary="Boundary_(ID_zoMidCFk8Adb0MDoPMRySg)"; type="text/html" --Boundary_(ID_zoMidCFk8Adb0MDoPMRySg) Content-type: text/html; CHARSET=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable <html><body><div>Dear List,<br><br>I'm currently researching an article on hearing aid= technology;<br>Specifically, on why it seems to lag behind audio technolo= gy in the<br>consumer sector, when there would appear to be some significa= nt overlap<br>in terms of requirements and techniques (e.g. very low power= <br>consumption, small form factor, miniaturised/solid state audio<br>tran= sducers, speech-in-noise cleanup techniques etc etc.). <br><br>Obviously h= earing aids occupy a far smaller market sector than<br>smartphones, and, b= eing classed as medical devices, are subject to more<br>stringent regulati= ons, meaning more development work for less return. <br>Is it simply the c= ase that consumer companies (I'm thinking<br>predominantly of semiconducto= r companies here, rather than the likes of,<br>say, Apple, who are system = integrators rather than developers) have no<br>interest in adapting their = technologies to suit hearing aid<br>applications, and it is not cost-effec= tive for hearing aid manufacturers<br>to licence new technology from the c= onsumer companies, or even from<br>academic institutions, or is there more= to it than that? <br><br>I would be very interested to hear your thoughts= on the matter, (on or<br>off the record, and on or off list, as you prefe= r).<br><br>Kind Regards,<br><br>Liz Elliott<br><br><br><br data-mce-bogus=3D= "1"></div></body></html>= --Boundary_(ID_zoMidCFk8Adb0MDoPMRySg)-- --Boundary_(ID_7/YI6yHHnF06JUaSxOXy5A)--