Announcements

Legato, a hearing technology startup founded in 2024, has come out of stealth with $12 million in funding and a first look at its debut product, Legato Frames, a pair of glasses that build hearing-assistance technology into the arms of the eyewear rather than using a separate earpiece. The funding round was led by Neotribe Ventures, with participation from Listen and Village Global. The…

The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), a UK hearing loss charity, has launched a safe-listening campaign called "Don't Lose the Music" following new research on hearing symptoms among young adults who attend loud music events. The campaign launched August 25, ahead of the UK's August holiday weekend. According to RNID's research, 83% of Gen Z adults surveyed reported ringing,…

GN has introduced two new families of premium hearing aids built on a new AI sound processing platform: ReSound Sensia and Beltone Illuminate. The two lines are sister products that shares similar technology under GN's ReSound and Beltone brands. Both were announced August 10 and became available in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Austria on August 20, with additional markets to follow.…

Oticon has introduced Reveal, a new premium hearing aid the company describes as a dual artificial intelligence system. The device was announced early August and became available to order on August 24, with a rollout across major markets during the third quarter of 2026. Rather than using a single system to manage the sound environment, Reveal uses two that operate at the same time: one intended…

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has decided that online streaming services must provide closed captioning, expanding access for Canadians who are Deaf, DeafBlind, or hard of hearing. The decision is part of the CRTC's implementation of the modernized Broadcasting Act, which requires that people with disabilities be able to access content without barriers. The…

A bipartisan bill introduced in Congress would create a pilot program to expand access to over-the-counter hearing aids for veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Veterans Hearing Aid Improvement Act was introduced in the House by Representatives Kevin Mullin and Keith Self as a companion to a Senate bill introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn and Adam Schiff. According to the…

New Jersey has awarded a new round of grants to expand communication and language access for residents who are deaf or hard of hearing. The state's Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing awarded grants to three counties: Burlington ($80,000), Mercer ($80,000), and Monmouth ($70,000). According to the state, this brings the total provided in communication access grants to counties to $1.76…

Researchers at Tel Aviv University identified a biological mechanism that could lead to a therapy that can regenerate sensory hair cells in the inner ear, a process that does not occur naturally in humans. The findings were published June 17, 2026, in Science Advances. The work was led by Professor Karen Avraham and doctoral student Lama Khalaily, in collaboration with researchers at Creighton…

MED-EL, the Austrian hearing implant manufacturer, acquired two gene therapy programs from Rescue Hearing Inc., a biotechnology company focused on genetic therapies for hearing and balance disorders. The acquisition was announced June 30. The programs target mutations in two genes: STRC, which is a genetic cause of hearing loss in a population currently managed primarily with hearing aids, and…

Cochlear announced FDA clearance of their Osia 3 Sound Processor. The Osia System is a bone conduction hearing solution designed for children and adults with conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss, or single-sided deafness. Rather than sending sound through the ear canal, it works by transmitting sound through bone vibration. According to Cochlear, the Osia 3 is the first fully rechargeable…