NewSound Launches AI-Driven OTC Hearing Aids with Femtosense Technology
Summary: NewSound has launched an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid powered by Femtosense’s Clara AI, offering advanced speech enhancement and noise reduction through efficient, all-day AI processing.
Key Takeaways:
- AI Integration: NewSound’s hearing aid is the first OTC device to feature true AI-driven speech enhancement using Femtosense’s Clara AI technology.
- Performance & Efficiency: Clara AI suppresses background noise by 7–13 dB while preserving speech from any direction, running efficiently on Femtosense’s ultra-low-power SPU-001 chip.
- Accessibility Focus: The partnership aims to make advanced hearing technology both affordable and accessible, bridging the gap between innovation and everyday usability for those with hearing loss.
NewSound has launched its first truly AI-driven over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid, powered by Femtosense’s AI Acceleration. David Yu, founder of NewSound, stated, ‘NewSound has consistently focused on the application of AI technology in OTC hearing aids for years. While some players in the industry prioritize cutting-edge performance, NewSound takes a balanced approach by not only advancing technology but also ensuring product affordability and consumer accessibility.’ This partnership allows them to bring affordable and accessible hearing aids to market.
Through collaboration with Femtosense, NewSound successfully integrated Clara AI Speech Enhancement into its new AI-driven OTC RIC Hearing Aid. Clara AI is a deep neural network that separates speech from background noise. It runs throughout the day on Femtosense’s SPU-001 AI inference accelerator with minimal power consumption. Scott Reid, co-founder and head of Machine Learning at Femtosense, mentioned, ‘People with hearing loss experience significant challenges understanding speech in noisy environments.’ This innovative technology is set to improve these experiences.
Dan Thomas, vice president of Operations at Nano Hearing Aids, expressed enthusiasm for the advancements, saying, ‘As an audiologist with over 30 years of experience, I am thrilled to see the introduction of true AI noise-canceling technology in OTC hearing aids. This is a significant advancement in making OTC hearing aids more effective and accessible to those with hearing loss.’
According to the company, this feedback reinforces NewSound’s belief that AI technology will unlock new potential for OTC hearing aids. NewSound is poised to drive this change in the industry.
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