Expo Breaks New Ground in Addressing Hearing Loss Community’s Major Needs

Dr. Brad Mason of Starkey’s Nu Ear gives a consumer a chance to try his second hearing aid to compare to his first.

The Healthy Hearing Expo was only the second time in the US that consumers could try and compare hearing aids and the first to do so within the context of an expo covering all supportive technologies as well. The event attracted 275 people, with some 250 of them not previously aware of hearing support groups such as HLAA or ALDA. The comprehensive event featured free audiologist consultations and 42 exhibitors covering almost all forms of implants, wireless accessories, assistive listening devices and communication systems for the hard-of-hearing and deaf. Attendees could interact with users of various technologies in panel discussions and were able to witness a dazzling keynote presentation on the latest hearing technologies by Dr. Kyle Allen of Tampa Bay Hearing & Balance.

The event set an HLAA state record for hearing screenings at an expo with 98 completed along with 86 people getting consultations with audiologists to guide their trials of alternative hearing aids and wireless accessories from Starkey’s Nu Ear, Oticon and Siemen’s Signia product lines.

The lines for a screening, consultation or trying hearing aids were still very long when the event had to close after six hours but attendees were able to do all of these tasks afterward for free at participating audiology clinics.

Guided tours with the new Listen Talk personal loop systems gave attendees the accessible insight they needed on all the exhibitors in the noisy, crowded exhibit hall.

The event marked the debut of Envoy Medical at a consumer event so consumers could learn about Esteem, the world’s first implantable hearing aid. It was also the first consumer event for Listen Technologies and its new-to-the-market line of Listen Talk devices designed for taking the hearing loss on museum tours. HLAA leaders used the device to give interested attendees a guided tour of all the expo’s exhibitors.

Attendees could try all sorts of wireless accessories, ALDs, and other devices, like Sony Caption Glasses available at Regal Cinemas.

Guided tours with the new Listen Talk personal loop systems gave attendees the accessible insight they needed on all the exhibitors in the noisy, crowded exhibit hall.

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• Debbe Hagner at HLAA Gulf Coast
• Dr. Allen speaking to the attendees
• Judith Greaves, Roseanne Boyle,
  Richard Herring, Debbe Hagner and
  Marion Roset
• All three cochlear implant reps
• Dr. Allen from Tampa Hearing &
  Balance.
• Marion Roset and Judith Greaves at the
  ALDA booth