Announcements

ORKA introduced the O1 Pro at the Appliance and Electronics World Expo (AWE) in Shanghai, promoting it as the first receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid to incorporate active noise cancellation (ANC). The company says the device was co-developed with Bose and uses Bose QuietControl ANC technology, the same approach used in Bose consumer headphones. ANC works by capturing ambient noise through…

Phonak announced that two of its hearing aid models, the Virto R Infinio and Infinio Ultra Sphere, received recognition in the 2026 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards from the Business Intelligence Group. Both products were recognized in the health category. According to the company, the Virto R Infinio uses AI in two distinct ways: one layer identifies listening environments and adjusts…

A U.S. Department of Justice deadline under Title II of the ADA takes effect April 24, 2026. State and local government entities serving populations of 50,000 or more must bring websites, mobile applications, and online portals into compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Smaller entities and special purpose districts have until April 2027. In February 2026, the Trump administration's DOJ submitted a…

The W3C Accessibility Guidelines Working Group published an updated Working Draft of WCAG 3.0. The release includes a terminology shift from "outcomes" to "requirements," a proposed conformance model, and the advancement of most normative sections to "Developing" status. WCAG 3.0 will expand the scope of the current standards to cover native applications, authoring tools, user agents, and emerging…

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…