A Visit To Hanover

Last week I tried to brush up on my non-existent German skills in order to attend the ‘Europäische Union der Hörgeräteakustiker e.V’ 2010 congress. The European Union of Hearing Aid Acousticians puts on this major exhibition each year; which attracts ever-increasing numbers of international delegates in addition to the strong German contingent. As the organisation’s name suggests, the conference is dominated by all things ‘hearing aid, ’ a good place to find yourself if you’re an audiologist…. A large number of hearing aid manufacturers were represented, and this year was no exception to the competitive vibe one feels as they all try to out-do each other with the size and decor of the stands.. Having recently worked for a manufacturer the change of perspective was much appreciated. Most hearing aid manufacturers use the EUHA exhibition as a platform to introduce new products to the European market; and new names appeared absolutely everywhere; with some manufacturers replacing their ranges completely. The hearing aid industry is a small one when compared to other technologies such as mobile phones; but in a concentrated floor space like the EUHA congress there was an exciting amount of technology being introduced. Throughout my career in the audiology world I have always tried to attend at least 1 international exhibition each year to enjoy a bit of a buzz at being surrounded by dedicated research and development. Much of the display areas on stands were devoted to high end developments such as new generations of wireless connectivity and even more invisible options; I do sometimes wonder where can they go next, only to find the answer at the following year’s exhibition. Although the technology is exciting, much of it will initially carry high retail pricing; and not necessarily solutions for the masses. However, I did come across a number of interesting possibilities for Hearing Direct, and we hope to introduce some of them within the next few months. Not just hearing aids, but other items geared to make life with a hearing aid easier – watch this space for our ‘holiday pack….’ . If any of you reading this blog can't wait that long, let me know if you’d like to be part of the trials! Danke!