DURHAM, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#audiology—MED-EL USA announced today that, together with Starkey, DualSync technology was awarded a Hearing Technology Innovator Award in the Bimodal Hearing Category. The annual awards program, hosted by Hearing Health & Technology Matters (HHTM), recognizes technological innovation and achievement in the hearing industry. The announcement was made at the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) annual AuDacity conference in Washington, DC.
Bimodal hearing, combining a cochlear implant in one ear with a hearing aid on the other, offers powerful benefits when both technologies work seamlessly together. DualSync technology, developed through an industry-first collaboration between MED-EL and Starkey, takes bimodal performance to the next level.
DualSync enables effortless simultaneous streaming from Apple devices to both a MED-EL audio processor and a Starkey hearing aid. With this breakthrough, Apple devices recognize both devices as a unified hearing system, delivering a streamlined user experience.
This is the first time that users with a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aid in the other can experience true wireless synchronization: streaming calls, music, and media effortlessly to both ears without extra apps, clinic visits, or devices. The result is a fully unified, natural listening experience tailored for those who rely on bimodal solutions.
“DualSync represents a true leap forward in bimodal hearing. For the first time, recipients control the experience of seamless wireless streaming to both ears. This innovation reflects our commitment to delivering intuitive, user-centered solutions that make everyday hearing effortless,” said John Sparacio, President and CEO of MED-EL USA. “We’re proud to collaborate with Starkey on this industry-first achievement that’s redefining what’s possible for bimodal users.”
“The Innovator Awards celebrate those turning cutting-edge hearing innovations into meaningful solutions,” said Dr. Robert Traynor, a member of the 2025 Awards judging panel. “With their dedication to progress, companies like MED-EL and Starkey are shaping the future of hearing care.”
Since its launch in 2020, the awards program has contributed more than $35,000 to hearing-related charities, supporting organizations including the Hearing Health Foundation, SoundWrx, Hearing Loss Association of America, Stop The Ring and the Joyful Life Cochlear Implant Fund.
About the Hearing Technology Innovator Awards
The Hearing Technology Innovator Awards™ is a global awards program created to honor and recognize innovation within the hearing industry. Since its inception, the program has helped raise over $35,000 for hearing-related charities. Learn more here.
About MED-EL
MED-EL Medical Electronics, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, is driven by a mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and quality of life. The Austrian-based, privately owned business was co-founded by industry pioneers Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, whose ground-breaking research led to the development of the world’s first micro-electronic multi-channel cochlear implant (CI), which was successfully implanted in 1977 and was the basis for what is known as the modern CI today. This laid the foundation for the successful growth of the company in 1990, when they hired their first employees. To date, MED-EL has more than 3,000 employees from around 90 nations and 30 locations worldwide.
The company offers the widest range of implantable and non-implantable solutions to treat all types of hearing loss, enabling people in 139 countries enjoy the gift of hearing with the help of a MED-EL device. MED-EL’s hearing solutions include cochlear and middle ear implant systems, a combined electric acoustic stimulation hearing implant system, as well as surgical and non-surgical bone conduction devices. www.medel.com
Contacts
MEDIA CONTACT:
Rebecca Novak
[email protected]
