Next-generation hearing aids inspired by brain science

The high-tech devices block out background noise to provide personalised, comfortable, and clear audio

Spotted: The Chinese hearing aid market is highly polarised. There are overseas brands dominating the higher end of the market, while on the lower end of the price range, consumer electronics companies offer devices with lower sound quality. In the middle sits a whole section of the population that is left unserved.

It is this section of the market that Hong Kong-based Incus is looking to serve. But the startup is not merely focused on carving out a market niche. Instead, it is leveraging brain science to push the boundaries of hearing aid technology.

One of the most common complaints that users have about hearing aids is that they are ‘noisy’ – with a cacophony of background sounds that can become overwhelming. Poorer quality devices are also prone to loud whistling and screeching. To tackle this, Incus uses brain-inspired neural network models to separate speech from background noise. This makes speech clearer and easier to understand. At the same time, the device scans the background soundscape, keeping it at a comfortable level.

The hearing aids also leverage the benefits of convenience and accessibility typical of consumer electronics. Users can quickly and easily set up their device with the smartphone application Yinbei, which is available for both iOS and Android. A five-minute hearing test in the app personalises the sounds the user will hear.

Incus has already filed over 15 patent applications, with their first hearing device – the Kite smart personal sound amplifier launched in 2020. Last year the company secured fresh funding which it will invest in research and development, marketing, and operational scale-up.

Springwise has spotted a number of innovations aimed at making life easier for those who struggle with hearing. These include headphones that let users check their hearing, and gloves that convert sign language into the spoken word.