Announcements

Two sisters from Wake County, North Carolina, are among the first children in the United States to receive an innovative hearing implant known as the Bonebridge system. Kenzie and Lily Ferguson were born with narrow or closed ear canals, which made traditional hearing aids ineffective. The new implant, developed for individuals with similar conditions, works by transmitting sound vibrations…

Starkey Hearing Technologies recently announced its latest hearing aid platform, Omega AI , which integrates deep-learning and generative-AI systems into personal hearing devices. The company alleges this product as its most advanced to date, designed to enhance how users experience sound in complicated environments. A central feature of the device is its DNN 360 system , which uses…

The Kennedy Center’s Access/VSA Emerging Young Artists Program is now accepting applications from U.S.-based visual artists between the ages of 16 and 25 who identify as disabled. This national program celebrates the creativity and perspective of young artists and provides opportunities for recognition and professional growth. Fifteen selected artists will each receive a $3,000 stipend, have one…

The 2025 Hearing Technology Innovator Awards recognized a wide range of advancements across hearing aids, implants, diagnostics, therapeutics, and assistive technology. Hosted by Hearing Health and Technology Matters (HHTM), the annual award celebrates innovation, effectiveness, and accessibility in hearing care. According to HHTM's criteria, this year’s winners reflected the growing diversity of…

Amazon’s new Fire TV models introduce a built-in feature called " Dialogue Boost" , which is designed to make spoken dialogue easier to hear over background music and sound effects. The feature uses artificial intelligence to identify when speech is difficult to separate and automatically increases voice clarity relative to other audio elements. This feature could benefit users regardless of their…

The Kennedy Center’s Access/VSA Creative Careers Programs support young writers and musicians with disabilities by offering professional development, mentorship, and national recognition. Both programs provide financial stipends, exclusive workshops, and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. High school students (ages 14–19) can apply to the Access/VSA Playwright Discovery Program by…

A Cleveland Clinic study presented at the 2025 ACIA meeting evaluated 113 adults who received cochlear implants outside of the FDA’s current candidacy criteria. The patients, treated between 2021 and 2024, often had better contralateral ear performance or higher speech perception scores than the FDA indications allow. Results showed consistent and significant improvements in speech recognition in…

Google is allowing newer Pixel phones to share one audio stream with more than one pair of headphones at the same time. Pixel 8 and newer phones can use Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast to pair two sets at once, or start a private broadcast that others join by scanning a QR code or using Fast Pair. Compatible headphones are required, with new support rolling out to several Sony models, plus…

Envoy Medical claims that the first 10 people in its Acclaim cochlear implant trial have completed their three-month checkups with no serious safety problems or unexpected device issues. The company says the study is on track and it still plans to file for FDA approval in 2027 if results support it. They allege that Acclaim is designed to be fully implanted inside the body. It is supposed to work…

Cochlear announced that the Nucleus Nexa system became available on August 26, 2025. The system bundle includes the Nucleus Nexa implant, Kanso 3 Nexa and Nucleus 8 Nexa sound processors, and Connected Care tools such as SmartNav, Custom Sound Pro, and Remote Care. The company describes the Nexa system as a “smart” cochlear implant system with upgradeable implant firmware and internal memory that…