A SCOTTISH company is to begin trialling a new system with the potential to revolutionise hearing tests “on a global scale”.
Edinburgh-based Hearing Diagnostics Limited hope to launch their three minute test commercially next year.
Following a £715,000 investment from angel investment syndicate, Archangels, the company have begun trials at universities and hearing aid retailers across the country.
It is estimated that 86% of hearing loss in the UK goes unmanaged and it’s hoped that the easily accessible tests will help tackle this worrying trend.
The test will see the patient wearing headphones fitted with a motion sensor and turning their head in response to random, multi-direction sounds.
This test, when assessed using computational algorithms, has proved to be more accurate than existing test systems during pilot trials, and is also deemed to be more resilient to imagined sounds and background noise.
The Hearing Diagnostics test can also be administered successfully without a soundproof booth and by a shop assistant rather than a more highly paid audiologist, thereby increasing accessibility and reducing cost.
Furthermore, the Hearing Diagnostics test takes three minutes compared to the 25-30 minutes it takes to carry out a conventional hearing test.
Hearing Diagnostics co-founder and Chief Executive Dr Claudia Freigang said: “Our vision is for hearing tests to become as accessible and commonplace as eye tests to ensure that everyone with hearing loss receives care at the earliest possible opportunity.
“Investment by Archangels brings us a huge step towards achieving our vision and we are excited to work with such a highly experienced and supportive group of investors.”
