HearX is a start-up in South Africa, it was established in the year of 2015. Several
audiologist and engineers came together to create affordable access to hearing
healthcare using digital small solutions. The idea was to provide available
products that would assess early onset of digital hearing problems among the
population. The flagship technology, hearing loss and ear screening technology,
it works with calibrated HD headphones. There is more than one million case
that was performed in 39 countries. This is a rapid growing technological
device that aims at providing patients with hearing impairment the best
available hearing healthcare. Currently, in the clinical state, there are seven
solutions in health which is a centralized data management platform.
HearScreen
is a smartphone test performed using calibrated HD Headphones: this is used for
quick hearing tests to determine if there is a hearing loss and suggest if the
patient needs immediate medical care.
is a smartphone test performed using calibrated HD Headphones: this is used for
quick hearing tests to determine if there is a hearing loss and suggest if the
patient needs immediate medical care.
HearTest
can be used to determine the threshold of hearing loss.
can be used to determine the threshold of hearing loss.
PeekAcuity
is a visual acuity test.
is a visual acuity test.
hearTest
Occ Health is the newest product. It is a certified digital, smartphone,
audiometer. It gets used by industries to perform hearing tests, a baseline
test can be set and hearing can be compared over time. According to the
speaker, “employees seem to love the product, because they can go for a quick
30 minutes hearing test on the premise and thereafter get back to work without
having to stop the work for a day.
Occ Health is the newest product. It is a certified digital, smartphone,
audiometer. It gets used by industries to perform hearing tests, a baseline
test can be set and hearing can be compared over time. According to the
speaker, “employees seem to love the product, because they can go for a quick
30 minutes hearing test on the premise and thereafter get back to work without
having to stop the work for a day.
HearOAE:
this is an otoacoustic emission screening and diagnosing tool used for newborn
hear screenings; it is used to test newborns hearing to allow the health
practitioner to treat the hearing impairment from an early stage onwards.
this is an otoacoustic emission screening and diagnosing tool used for newborn
hear screenings; it is used to test newborns hearing to allow the health
practitioner to treat the hearing impairment from an early stage onwards.
HearScope
was released through an Indiegogo campaign in the year of 2017. Indiegogo is a
crowdfunded campaign.
was released through an Indiegogo campaign in the year of 2017. Indiegogo is a
crowdfunded campaign.
Artificial
Intelligence (AI) in hearScope: AI is the newest feature that was released in hearScope
on the 9th March 2020. It has been under development since the year
of 2017. hearScope is a smartphone video otoscope that can be used to view the
“Tympanic Membrane” and ear canal. It captures images and videos of the
Tympanic Membrane and ear canal; audiologists are excited about this product
because in developing countries, public clinics and hospitals have a lot of
patients and this can assist in triaging patients and ensure that patients
receive the correct pre-examination treatment. It also enables patient
involvement during an examination, because it enables clinicians to show the patient
the images and videos taken of the ear canal and tympanic membrane.
Intelligence (AI) in hearScope: AI is the newest feature that was released in hearScope
on the 9th March 2020. It has been under development since the year
of 2017. hearScope is a smartphone video otoscope that can be used to view the
“Tympanic Membrane” and ear canal. It captures images and videos of the
Tympanic Membrane and ear canal; audiologists are excited about this product
because in developing countries, public clinics and hospitals have a lot of
patients and this can assist in triaging patients and ensure that patients
receive the correct pre-examination treatment. It also enables patient
involvement during an examination, because it enables clinicians to show the patient
the images and videos taken of the ear canal and tympanic membrane.
The
AI image classification feature assists healthcare practitioners to diagnose
ear conditions. The AI model was trained using thousands of images that was all
captured by the hearScope hardware. The images were diagnosed by specialists; the system can
diagnose wax obstructions, normal ears, chronic perforations, and abnormalities,
which indicates a pathology is present and the patient should consult a
specialist. As more images get collected, the AI model can be trained to
recognize more pathologies. The AI is working towards being able to diagnose 12
pathologies, such as foreign bodies, cholesteatoma, acute otitis media, otitis
media with effusion, myringosclerosis,
wet chronic perforations, dry chronic perforations, grommets, wax obstructions,
retractions, normal ears and unspecified. It is also planning it add extra
pathologies to the system.
AI image classification feature assists healthcare practitioners to diagnose
ear conditions. The AI model was trained using thousands of images that was all
captured by the hearScope hardware. The images were diagnosed by specialists; the system can
diagnose wax obstructions, normal ears, chronic perforations, and abnormalities,
which indicates a pathology is present and the patient should consult a
specialist. As more images get collected, the AI model can be trained to
recognize more pathologies. The AI is working towards being able to diagnose 12
pathologies, such as foreign bodies, cholesteatoma, acute otitis media, otitis
media with effusion, myringosclerosis,
wet chronic perforations, dry chronic perforations, grommets, wax obstructions,
retractions, normal ears and unspecified. It is also planning it add extra
pathologies to the system.
General practitioners are between 60-70%
confident of diagnosing ear conditions. The AI image classification model has
an accuracy of 94% to classify ear conditions, and it can assist health practitioners
to confidently diagnose ear conditions. Furthermore, the AI plays a significant
role in developing countries due to its low number of specialists, to assist
hospitals Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) and general practitioners to screen both
children and adults, to be able to triage and refer then accordingly. It helps
to determine the type of ear disease to treat, for instance, if a patient
complains of pain in the ear, the AI image classification can classify a wax
obstruction and the patient can simply go to the clinic and a clinician can
remove the wax blockage. The hearScope, with the AI image classification feature
can be used by anybody and not only healthcare practitioners.
confident of diagnosing ear conditions. The AI image classification model has
an accuracy of 94% to classify ear conditions, and it can assist health practitioners
to confidently diagnose ear conditions. Furthermore, the AI plays a significant
role in developing countries due to its low number of specialists, to assist
hospitals Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) and general practitioners to screen both
children and adults, to be able to triage and refer then accordingly. It helps
to determine the type of ear disease to treat, for instance, if a patient
complains of pain in the ear, the AI image classification can classify a wax
obstruction and the patient can simply go to the clinic and a clinician can
remove the wax blockage. The hearScope, with the AI image classification feature
can be used by anybody and not only healthcare practitioners.
A quick notice, with the current situation of
Coronavirus (also known as COVID-19), there have been a high increase in inquiries
of the AI image classification. Telemedicine has proven to be useful in a case
like this; people can purchase a hearScope via the HearX website
(www.hearxgroup.com), use the hearScope to self-screen and send the images and
videos to their respective general practitioner (family doctor) for a
diagnosis.
Coronavirus (also known as COVID-19), there have been a high increase in inquiries
of the AI image classification. Telemedicine has proven to be useful in a case
like this; people can purchase a hearScope via the HearX website
(www.hearxgroup.com), use the hearScope to self-screen and send the images and
videos to their respective general practitioner (family doctor) for a
diagnosis.
The beta-version AI geature has been launched
in March, the feature is currently free, but will become paid once the necessary
FDA and CE approvals have been received. The AI classification works together
with the hearScope hardware; the hardware has a cost incurred on it; the software
is free. The hearScope hardware is 200 USD. The price for the AI subscriptions
is not yet known.
in March, the feature is currently free, but will become paid once the necessary
FDA and CE approvals have been received. The AI classification works together
with the hearScope hardware; the hardware has a cost incurred on it; the software
is free. The hearScope hardware is 200 USD. The price for the AI subscriptions
is not yet known.
The device has been under development since the
year of 2017 when it was released on IndieGoGo. Various bodies contributed in
the development of the product such as the advisory panel (four well known
specialist across the world), research partners that assisted with the
diagnosis of images, the image collectors, which captures the ear images. The
images are validated and there is an exclusion criterion to the images, such as
an image of the finger or any image that is not related to the ear. The
validated images are further presented to the Panel of Research Diagnosis
Partners (PRDP); the PRDP diagnose the situation based on their respective
specialties. The hearScope hardware is FDA approved and meets all the hospital
standard requirements.
year of 2017 when it was released on IndieGoGo. Various bodies contributed in
the development of the product such as the advisory panel (four well known
specialist across the world), research partners that assisted with the
diagnosis of images, the image collectors, which captures the ear images. The
images are validated and there is an exclusion criterion to the images, such as
an image of the finger or any image that is not related to the ear. The
validated images are further presented to the Panel of Research Diagnosis
Partners (PRDP); the PRDP diagnose the situation based on their respective
specialties. The hearScope hardware is FDA approved and meets all the hospital
standard requirements.
The hardware is expected to be durable for at
least 15 years depending on the number of usages on the hardware. The hardware
id accompanied with a one-year warranty.
least 15 years depending on the number of usages on the hardware. The hardware
id accompanied with a one-year warranty.
The biggest issue while developing the device,
was integrating and improving the quality of the “Collection of Images”.
Another problem that arose was finding specialists that can diagnose the
images.
was integrating and improving the quality of the “Collection of Images”.
Another problem that arose was finding specialists that can diagnose the
images.
The
application is also compatible with desktop devices such as Windows, Mac and Linux;
however, the device smartphone app is only compliable with android phones. The
hardware comes with a storage case for safe keeping. The hardware also has its
own packaging such as a stant for the phone, adapter, specula which attaches to
the front of the scope, and connectors.
application is also compatible with desktop devices such as Windows, Mac and Linux;
however, the device smartphone app is only compliable with android phones. The
hardware comes with a storage case for safe keeping. The hardware also has its
own packaging such as a stant for the phone, adapter, specula which attaches to
the front of the scope, and connectors.
The
device is available to use and familiarize with. There are various institutions,
such as the Manchester University in the UK or University of Pretoria in South
Africa, across the world that have access to the device for academic purposes.
device is available to use and familiarize with. There are various institutions,
such as the Manchester University in the UK or University of Pretoria in South
Africa, across the world that have access to the device for academic purposes.
