At ORCA Labs, we do research into life with hearing loss and apply our knowledge to improve solutions
Hearing loss is not solved. A bold statement, but a true one when we consider the more than 1600 million people globally who suffers from hearing loss, and adds that only around 20% currently benefits from a hearing solution.
There is a need for more knowledge and understanding. Of interconnections. Of cultural differences. Of social dynamics. ORCA Labs exist to advance the field of audiology, and hereby helping more people to achieve a better quality of life.
Our basic and applied research currently focuses on social interaction, solution adoption, and benefit beyond hearing.
At ORCA labs, our goal is to support the development of hearing solutions that helps people in their everyday situations. That requires us to research and understand how people live their lives with the hearing abilities they have. We call it your Auditory Reality, and it is composed of both the acoustical scene you are in, and what your intention in that situation is.
We develop test methods that mirror relevant real life situations such that we can test the effects of hearing aids where it matters, with the goal to improve the quality of real lives. We have a dual focus on methods that 1) brings us out of the lab and into reality, and 2) that tests hearing aids on people doing relevant tasks. As a direct consequence we study and developes test methods focusing on conversations rather than intelligibility. Because in real life, what matters is to be able to participate in a conversation, not to just to be able to listen in. We also advance the field of “ecological momentary assessment” which is a way to assess performance and satisfaction in moments of life.
