Audeara is partnering in a project with Ear Science Institute Australia to explore how bone conduction hearing solutions can support children in need.
Ear Science will contribute $100,000 and its expertise to support development and evaluation of bone conduction hearing solutions for high-need Australian communities.
The project will not develop new devices but enhance the most suitable existing technology.
Dr Rob Eikelboom is the lead scientist on the research project at Ear Science.
“The project is focused on children with conductive hearing loss, to provide access to hearing when in the classroom and at home,” he told HPA. “The high-need communities include Indigenous children where the prevalence of conductive hearing loss is relatively high.”
The project will also benefit from in-kind support from Audeara including technical expertise, product supply, and project coordination, an ASX announcement on 5 August 2025 said.
“Both organisations are committed to ensuring the outcomes of the project deliver tangible impact in community settings for children who require assistance hearing in classroom settings,” the announcement stated.
Dr James Fielding, Audeara CEO and general manager, said: “This collaboration with Ear Science Institute Australia is closely aligned with our purpose to deliver world-class hearing solutions that help people engage more fully in their communities.
“Supporting children to hear well in and outside the classroom has lifelong benefits, and we’re proud to play a role in exploring how this technology can make a difference.”
Target remote and rural communities
Dr Fielding said the initial target groups are regional and remote communities in Western Australia and Queensland.
“The need being addressed in the community isn’t only financial,” he told HPA.
“While many children may have eligibility for a government funded hearing solution, access is about all the other reasons why they may not be accessing and utilising devices that they’re eligible for.
“While one big factor may be cost for those not eligible for fully subsidised devices, other large factors include the requirement of a trained clinician to attend and ‘fit’ devices, the comfort of the device in various settings, the stigma of using a hearing device, the robustness of the device and the ability to handle the fluctuating hearing needs of the child.”
Not developing a device
Dr Fielding said the intention of the project was not to develop a medical device to address hearing loss but to provide a hearing enhancing solution to adapt to the hearing and listening needs of the individual.
“These needs have a vast number of causes from ear wax to Autism Spectrum Disorder,” he said. “If a child needs assistance getting the best listening experience, we hope these devices will deliver that.”
“As with all technological development, the project will utilise the most suitable technology available and look to enhance this technology where available. We’re not at the stage where we’ve made any firm decisions on the style or features of the device.”
Classroom pilots
Dr Fielding said the project had officially started and classroom trials would start over coming months.
Bone conduction works by sending sound through vibrations in the skull, bypassing the eardrum. It allows users to hear clearly while staying connected to the sounds around them, offering a different kind of listening experience, especially useful in learning environments.
For children who need a little extra hearing support at school, that difference can mean everything, Audeara said.
Adjunct Associate Professor Sandra Bellekom, Ear Science CEO, said: “We have worked extensively with community leaders and families to understand their needs and the barriers that they face to access effective hearing solutions.
“These are fundamental to educational success and community connection. We’re pleased to partner with Audeara to explore innovative approaches that can improve outcomes for children and families who need additional support.”
Brisbane-based Audeara Limited is a hearing health business that specialises in listening solutions for people with hearing challenges. Ear Science is a Perth-based medical research institute of researchers, surgeons and clinicians working together to enhance the lives of those with ear and hearing disorders.
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