News - Rehear

NYCU Team Develops Hair-Thin Optical Fiber Microphone for Precise Sound Capture

maxcheng — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 00:19:03 +0000

Reported by PTS News Network

To address the susceptibility of traditional microphones to electromagnetic interference and the resulting noise issues, a research team led by Professor Cheng-Yang Liu from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), in collaboration with the Department of Otolaryngology at Cheng Hsin General Hospital and the Instrument Technology Research Center of the National Applied Research Laboratories, has successfully developed an innovative optical fiber microphone. This microphone, as thin as a strand of human hair, can precisely capture sound signals, showing significant potential for applications in smartphones, wearable devices, hearing aids, and other electronic products.

To ensure the accuracy of the signals, Yi-Chin Wu, a second-year master’s student at NYCU’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering, conducted measurements and comparisons to evaluate the performance of the optical fiber microphone. Wu stated, “After creating the prototype, we began optimization. As demonstrated, it can now measure the entire frequency range audible to the human ear.”

The optical fiber microphone can accurately capture sounds within the frequency range of 100 to 10,000 Hz. Professor Liu noted that this range encompasses most of the human auditory spectrum. Additionally, the microphone is immune to electromagnetic interference, has very low self-noise, and is only as thick as a human hair. Its simple structure and relatively low production cost make it highly advantageous.

Professor Liu explained, “Applying this to medical devices, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, can significantly enhance measurement sensitivity and reduce production costs. We are the first in Taiwan, and possibly globally, to develop this optical fiber microphone. In addition to publishing our findings in journals, we are also in the process of applying for patents.”

While the team has developed the microphone probe, components like sound amplifiers or audio processing still require integration with relevant chips or mechanisms. The team plans to collaborate with Professor Ying-Hui Lai, Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at NYCU, to establish a complete microphone module.

Professor Lai stated, “By integrating with semiconductor companies like Rayin, which specialize in chip development, we can envision future hearing aids or earphones becoming increasingly compact, thereby assisting users in hearing better.”

Professor Liu also highlighted that, beyond enabling smaller electronic products like hearing aids, the microphone has potential applications in medical institutions. For instance, during MRI scans, medical technicians need to communicate with patients. Using the optical fiber microphone placed on the patient or around the MRI machine would pose no issues.

How Rehear Audiology is Redefining Hearing Solutions with Advanced Noise Cancellation and AI

maxcheng — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:24:17 +0000

Thank you very much to Business Weekly for the interview, giving us the opportunity to share how Rehear Audiology leverages advanced active noise cancellation and AI technologies to pioneer a new era of integrated hearing solutions.

How Rehear Audiology is Redefining Hearing Solutions with Advanced Noise Cancellation and AI

Tapping into the OTC Hearing Aid Boom
By offering holistic acoustic solutions—not just ICs—Rehear Audiology (a Realtek Group subsidiary) has positioned itself as a one-stop partner for top global headphone brands.
From Chipmaker to Full-Service Provider
Beyond simply “selling chips,” Rehear has built a comprehensive ecosystem that includes AI hearing tests, in-ear measurements, hearing compensation, and active noise cancellation.
Market Education, Powered by Apple
Once Apple announced hearing assistance features for AirPods in 2024, consumer acceptance soared. Rehear seized this opportunity by demonstrating clinical-grade noise-cancellation tests in noisy environments.
Serving 80% of Users’ Needs
While battery life currently limits all-day use, Rehear’s solutions target light-to-moderate hearing-impaired users—meeting an estimated 80% of the market demand.

Key Takeaway

Rehear Audiology showcases how a strategic pivot—from core chipmaking to end-to-end acoustic solutions—can effectively tap into a rapidly expanding market. Powered by advanced noise cancellation and AI-driven features, Rehear stands ready to meet global demand for accessible and reliable OTC hearing aids.

Rehear Audiology Promotes AI Revolution in the Hearing Industry

maxcheng — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 03:18:25 +0000

We’re excited to announce that Rehear Audiology has been featured in audioXpress, showcasing our groundbreaking innovations in the hearing industry! 🎉

As global demand for advanced hearing solutions soars, we’re redefining hearing care with cutting-edge technologies:
🔊 At-Home Hearing Tests: Accurate assessments even in environments with noise levels up to 65 dB.

🎧 Personalized Sound Compensation: Unmatched precision with 441 fitting bands—18x more adjustability than traditional hearing aids.
🌍 AI-Driven Noise Reduction: Crystal-clear speech clarity and reduced background noise by up to 40 dB for an exceptional listening experience.
Our mission is simple yet impactful: to make hearing care accessible, efficient, and life-changing for individuals worldwide.

Rehear leverages proprietary acoustic AI algorithms and patented technologies to deliver industry-leading hearing health and audio chip solutions. Partnering with earphone and hearing aid manufacturers, Rehear drives innovation with a focus on speed, precision, and excellence, setting new standards in global hearing care.

📖 Learn more about our pioneering work:
👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gyK8G8_t

Rehear and NYCU Collaborate on "Hearing with Light" Technology, Winning the 2024 Future Tech Award

dennis — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 14:02:07 +0000

Rehear is proud to announce that its collaborative project with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), known as the "Hearing with Light" technology, has won the 2024 Future Tech Award from the National Science and Technology Council. This innovative technology, which combines optical microphones with deep learning algorithms to enhance the performance of hearing aids, stood out among more than 500 project submissions. It was recognized as one of the 82 award-winning projects and selected as a Top 20 annual highlight for special coverage.

The "Hearing with Light" technology uses laser light to accurately capture audio signals, integrating Rehear’s Bluetooth hearing aid chip and AI algorithms to effectively reduce background noise and improve speech clarity. This advancement provides hearing aid users with a superior listening experience and demonstrates the forward-thinking vision of Rehear and NYCU in auditory technology innovation, pushing the boundaries of hearing aid performance.

Looking ahead, Rehear will continue to strengthen its industry-academia partnerships, driving the development of cutting-edge technologies and delivering high-quality hearing solutions for users. For more details about this technology, please refer to the attached video link.

Validation at Hospital: Rehear Pioneers a New Era in Smartphone APP Hearing Assessment Solutions

dennis — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 10:39:13 +0000

Taipei City, October 8, 2023 - Rehear has been on a continuous journey to enhance the convenience and precision of Smartphone APP hearing assessments. Today, it is proud to announce the successful clinical validation of the Rehear Hearing Aid solutions at the hospital, heralding a groundbreaking era in hearing aid solutions.

The Rehear hearing test system represents a unique innovation that integrates Active Noise Cancellation technology with a specially crafted hearing test App. This allows users to accurately assess their hearing without the need for traditional soundproof booth. The system is designed to overcome environmental noise interference, revolutionizing the convenience and precision of hearing tests.

Rehear conducted comprehensive testing of this system, including professional electroacoustic measurements. The results showcased that the Rehear Hearing test solution can achieve an error rate of less than 2 dB across various pure tone frequencies, demonstrating its exceptional accuracy. Moreover, the incorporation of active noise cancellation technology ensures a "precise" and "high pure tone signal-to-noise ratio" for auditory signals during the assessment.

What is truly exciting is that, following clinical trial approval at the hospital, experimental outcomes indicated that the system exhibited a strong correlation with results obtained from the currently adopted professional hearing testing methods in clinics. This signifies that the Rehear Hearing aid solution empowers users to conduct hearing assessments anytime and anywhere, eliminating the need for a dedicated testing environment or additional equipment. This significant advancement not only reduces costs but also greatly enhances the convenience of hearing assessments.

Rehear's remarkable achievement opens up new horizons for the hearing aid industry, enabling a broader audience in need of hearing assessments to access timely and accurate auditory evaluations. It undeniably injects fresh vigor and optimism into the future development of the hearing aid sector.

Rehear Television Interview: Rediscovering the Delicate Original Sound

dennis — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 10:39:08 +0000

Rehear Television Interview: Rediscovering the Delicate Original Sound