Announcements

Envoy Medical finished enrollment for its clinical trial of the Acclaim cochlear implant, a fully implanted device with no externally worn components. The 56th and final participant was implanted on March 11, 2026. The Acclaim captures sound through a piezoelectric sensor implanted in the middle ear. Envoy holds FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for the device. The company expects to submit a…

The British Irish Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association published a feature on early Auracast deployments in UK live theatre venues. It focuses on the AURI system, currently the only Bluetooth Auracast-based assistive listening solution available in the UK, being adopted by a small number of theatres including the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. With Auracast, attendees can receive audio…

Listen Technologies released a Trade Agreements Act (TAA)-compliant version of its ListenIR assistive listening system. TAA compliance is required for products purchased under U.S. Federal contracts. The company says the products are now listed on the GSA Advantage! federal purchasing platform. ListenIR uses infrared technology, whose signal does not pass through walls, floors, or ceilings, which…

Wordly announced a Subtitles Application that embeds real-time captions directly into live presentations, livestreams, and broadcast video. Previously, captions appeared in a separate browser window, which required production teams to manage multiple systems. The new tool supports broadcast-ready caption overlays, reusable templates, and integrations with OBS and video switching systems. Updates…

Researchers at the University of Alberta, working with partners at the University of Tennessee and Gallaudet University, are conducting a multi-year study examining how “deaf aesthetic” design principles can inform the development of accessible digital textbooks, e-books, and digital learning platforms. Adults (18+) with any degree of hearing loss are invited to participate. The research runs…

A Hearing Review article reports that EssilorLuxottica hosted its inaugural “Switch: Vision Innovation Summit” in Orlando, bringing together over 1,000 professionals to discuss emerging trends in vision care, medical science, and wearable technology. The event included sessions examining the linkage between vision and hearing health and how advances in consumer wearables may address multiple…

An article from BriefGlance reports that the captioned calling app "InnoCaption" introduced new AI features to support phone communication for people with hearing loss or speech disabilities. The updates include AI Refine , which converts short typed prompts into fuller text-to-speech sentences, along with QuickSpeak and Saved Phrases that allow users to quickly deliver common messages during…

The Shapiro administration announced the 40th anniversary of the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH), a program within the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry that provides information, advocacy, and referral services for residents with hearing loss. The milestone was recognized during the annual Hearing Loss Expo in Cumberland County, where advocates, service providers, and…

A legal analysis from Wiley Rein LLP reviews recent actions by the Federal Communications Commission that can significantly affect accessibility policies and Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). TRS programs allow individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or have speech disabilities to communicate by telephone through relay technologies and services. The article outlines ongoing…

A recent Help Net Security article examines the role of deaf and hard-of-hearing professionals in the cybersecurity workforce. The piece notes that employment rates for deaf individuals in the United States remain lower than those for hearing individuals, and many workers face barriers to advancement. At the same time, fields such as computer science and cybersecurity show comparatively stronger…