Audigence, Audina and UF Team to Improve Hearing Aid Performance

Editor: As I recall the folks at Audigence originally applied their expertise to programming cochlear implants. So I think this their first hearing aid application. It'll be interesting to follow their progress.

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February 2009

Audigence Inc. announces an agreement with Audina(r) Hearing Instruments Inc. to integrate technology developed by Audigence, in partnership with the University of Florida, into Audina's INTUITION(r) 8 family of custom digital hearing aids. The CLARUJUST(tm) technology is employed in tuning digital hearing devices to individual user's needs and significantly improves speech clarity, particularly in noisy environments.

Audina is the first hearing instrument manufacturer to include the CLARUJUST(tm) technology in a product line. Frank Robilotta, executive vice president of Audina, says, "We are excited to be working with Audigence and the University of Florida on this new venture. Our team feels this innovative fitting protocol integrating optimization algorithms will increase patient involvement and result in greater patient satisfaction."

Audigence was founded by Lee Krause, a computer engineer who is hearing impaired. Krause began working on the new tuning technology in response to his own experiences having a digital hearing device tuned to meet his needs. He partnered with University of Florida researchers in refining and testing the technology. Their work was funded in part by grants from the Florida State University Research Commercialization Assistance Grant (SURECAG) program and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.

Patient and clinical studies of Audina products incorporating the CLARUJUST(tm) technology will be conducted at the University of Florida during the first quarter of 2009. The companies expect to release products incorporating the technology to select audiologists in the second quarter.

"CLARUJUST(tm) will improve the quality of life for millions of people who suffer from severe hearing loss," Krause says. "Today's announcement is evidence of the benefits of small companies working with the University to develop new technologies that improve lives in many ways, including creating greater economic opportunities for people in Florida."

Audina(r) Hearing Instruments Inc., headquartered in Longwood, Fla., is a leading manufacturer of a complete line of custom, over-the-ear (OTE), receiver-in-the-canal (RIC), and behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing instruments that incorporate the latest in technologies. The INTUITION 8 custom digital instrument line incorporates nano chip technology with 24-bit precision to ensure accurate audio signal processing with lower internal noise and distortion. Its unique and patented system architecture optimally balances workload power consumption and processing efficiency, resulting in extended battery life.