NewSound launched its first truly AI-driven over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, powered by Femtosense’s AI Acceleration. With over two decades of expertise, the Chinese hearing aids innovator understood the power of the Femtosense Sparse Processing Unit 001 (SPU-001) for hearing assistance. This purely on-device processor allowed NewSound to launch its first affordable, accessible hearing aids based on Speech Enhancement technology from the Californian company.
“NewSound has consistently focused on the application of AI technology in OTC hearing aids for years,” says David Yu, the founder of NewSound and one of the leading hearing aids specialists from China. “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. By partnering with Femtosense, we can now bring these affordable and accessible hearing aids to market, offering a valuable option for those struggling with hearing loss.”
Through its collaboration with Femtosense, NewSound successfully integrated Femtosense’s Clara AI Speech Enhancement onboard its products. Clara AI is a deep neural network that separates speech from background noise to deliver improved speech quality and comprehension. Clara AI runs all-day on Femtosense’s SPU-001 AI inference accelerator with sub-mW power consumption, achieved through 27x quantization and pruning compression while preserving performance. With Clara AI, speech from any direction is maintained, while background noise is suppressed by 7 to 13dB in a broad range of different environments.
“People with hearing loss experience significant challenges understanding speech in noisy environments,” adds Scott Reid, co-founder and head of Machine Learning, Femtosense. “NewSound’s OTC hearing aids will be the first in their category to deploy AI speech denoising to tackle this critical issue all-day on a single charge. These products showcase our thesis that compressing neural networks enables customers to deliver real AI into products that improve people’s lives. We are excited to make this technology accessible and affordable to all.”
“As an audiologist and industry expert with over 30 years of experience, I am thrilled to see the introduction of true AI noise-cancelling technology in OTC hearing aids,” said Dan Thomas, Vice President of Operations, Nano Hearing Aids. “By leveraging artificial intelligence, these hearing aids can now differentiate between background noise and speech, providing users with unprecedented ease of listening in noise. This is a significant advancement in making OTC hearing aids more effective and accessible to those with hearing loss.”
This feedback reinforces NewSound’s belief that AI technology will unlock new potential for OTC hearing aids. As a leading OEM and ODM manufacturer, the company invests over 10% of its annual revenue into R&D, prioritizing user-centric innovation. With a presence in more than 80 countries, NewSound continues to redefine accessibility and quality in audiology technology.
Detailing the company’s vision in this field, David Yu, the founder and CEO of NewSound believes that OTC (Over-the-Counter) is a game-changer. “For too long, hearing aids have been locked behind a wall of professional fittings and high costs. OTC breaks down those barriers, empowering people to take control of their hearing health. It’s especially important for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, who might not have sought help otherwise.”
“At NewSound, we’ve been preparing for this shift for years. We’ve updated our acoustic designs, software, and algorithms to meet the new OTC standards. But it’s not just about meeting regulations — it’s about creating devices that truly help people. With AI-driven personalization, we’re bridging the gap between OTC and traditional hearing aids, making sure users get the best possible experience.
“Femtosense is an incredible partner, and their AI technology is truly groundbreaking. Traditional hearing aids rely on preset programs, which can be limiting. But Femtosense’s AI algorithms analyze soundscapes in real-time, distinguishing between speech and noise with incredible precision. It’s like giving the hearing aid a brain — it learns and adapts to the user’s preferences.
“For example, in a noisy restaurant, our AI doesn’t just reduce background noise — it identifies the voices of the people you’re talking to and enhances them. It’s a whole new level of hearing experience. As Sam Fok, co-founder and CEO of Femtosense likes to say, ‘This is the evolution from hearing to understanding.’ And I couldn’t agree more.”
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Femtosense pioneers sparsity-exploiting AI inference accelerators and AI algorithms and delivers embedded AI solutions with low-latency operation with high energy efficiency. Their technology takes inspiration from the principles of neuromorphic computing concepts of sparsity to empower intelligence in everyday devices.
www.femtosense.ai
www.usnewsound.com
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