Hearing for All

A journey of a thousand miles begins with
a single step

Alango Technologies launches a project to develop a hardware and software reference design for products that provide consumers with high-quality binaural hearing solutions for less than $180. Hearing aids are just one of them…

Looking for partners

Please contact us if you would like to become a development or investment partner, supply components, distribute products based on our reference design (once it is ready), want more information or just want to be kept up to date with our progress.

The need

According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), around 430 million people worldwide require rehabilitation for their hearing loss, which may include the use of hearing aids.

However, global production of hearing aids meets less than 10% of global need, and in some low- and middle-income countries, fewer than one in 40 people (less than 2.5%) who need a hearing aid have one.

The cost of untreated hearing loss worldwide is estimated at US$980 billion per year. This includes the cost of healthcare (excluding the cost of hearing aids), the cost of educational support, loss of productivity and societal costs. Low and middle-income countries account for 57% of these costs. The cost of untreated hearing loss also affects the quality of life and well-being of individuals and their families, as well as the social and economic development of communities and countries.

The problem

The main barriers to the use of hearing aids worldwide are:

• High cost and lack of insurance coverage for hearing aids, batteries and earmolds.
• Limited availability and supply of hearing aids by manufacturers who do not see a significant market in low and middle income countries.
• Lack of appropriately trained staff, administration and funding of hearing aid services and programs.
• Perceived stigma and discrimination by others
• Lack of awareness, knowledge and counseling about hearing loss and hearing aids among people, policy makers, decision makers and primary care providers.
• These barriers prevent millions of people with hearing loss worldwide from accessing and benefiting from hearing aids that could improve their quality of life, education and economic status.

The solution

To solve the problems above associated with the low level of hearing rehabilitation worldwide, we (Alango Technologies) will develop a reference design for augmented hearing aids that:

• Significantly reduce manufacturing costs compared to modern hearing aids without compromising quality or wireless connectivity for Bluetooth phone calls and music streaming.
• Enable self-fitting or minimally assisted fitting via a smartphone application.
• Are rechargeable and support solar-powered chargers.
• Allow encapsulation in different form factors and allow the development of enhanced hearing aids that are not directly associated with hearing aids.

Why now, not before

• The consumer electronics chipsets used in Bluetooth headphones and earbuds were not designed for ultra-low power applications, such as hearing aids that need to run continuously for 15 or more hours before recharging.NO MORE, they are now better.
• Relatively cheap acoustic components such as microphones and micro speakers used in consumer products in the past were inferior compared to those used in high-end hearing aids.NO MORE, they are now better.
• The software technology and hands-on experience gained by the big 5 hearing aid manufacturers could not be easily caught up with by consumer electronics companies.NO MORE, over the past 10 years, Alango Technologies has developed the appropriate algorithms and software technologies and tested them in its line of BeHear concept hearing amplifiers.

The reference design

< $50
(including the software license)

• Maximum gain: 70dB (actual gain depends on device)
• Maximum output level: 120dB SPL
• Wide Dynamic Range Compressor (WDRC): up to 24 channels
• Synchronized binaural beamforming, noise reduction and gain control

• Augmented heairing: 100-8000Hz (standard), 100-12000Hz (premium)
• Audio streaming: 70-12000Hz

> 50mAh

• Personalized high quality voice calls
• Personalized high quality audio streaming
• Smartphone application for customization and control
• Support for BLE audio and Auracast

• Augmented hearing: > 15h
• Bluetooth calls/music: > 7h

• BTE hearing aids
• RIC hearing aids
• TWS earplugs
• Bone conduction headsets
• Over-the-ear headsets

Why Alango Technologies

• 22 years of experience of making digital sound better

• > 70M products on the market with Alango technology

• 10 years of experience in augmented hearing technology

• BeHear line of concept personalized hearing amplifiers

Your feedback?

Please, let us know what do you think.

• Needed?
• Feasible?
• Priced well?
• Would be interested to manufacture?
• Would be interested to distribute?

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