Google wants to use its expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning to explore new possibilities in listening and communications technologies alongside five Australian organisations that have an interest in hearing healthcare.
Working with Cochlear, Macquarie University Hearing, National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), NextSense and The Shepherd Centre, Google said the research will focus on enhancing hearing technologies to overcome current challenges and pave the way for more personalised hearing healthcare. Google also said the goal is to provide a brighter future for more than 1.5 billion people globally who have hearing loss.
Australia has a reputation of birthing a number of medical innovations that have changed the global healthcare industry.
In 1967, Sydney-based Dr Graeme Clark began researching the possibilities of an electronic implantable hearing device, and by 1978, the first-ever Cochlear implant was performed. Cochlear celebrated its 10,000th recipient in 1994 and since then, Cochlear has performed thousands of operations and switched on the sound for those previously living in silence. NAL, meanwhile, has been in the game for 75 years, setting global standards to assess hearing impairment and developing hearing healthcare innovations, including the most widely used prescription software by audiologists around the world.
The first project Google will undertake with its new partners will seek to personalise hearing models to better address individual listening needs to enhance hearing aids and other listening devices.
“Finding solutions for those with hearing loss is a global problem and we’re thrilled to be working with leaders in this field to explore new possibilities using AI.” Google Australia’s research lead on the project Simon Carlile said.
The collaboration is made possible under Google’s Digital Future Initiative, which is a $1 billion investment from the search giant into Australia’s digital economy. It aims to place a focus on Australian-made technology and talent and includes launching partnerships to solve big challenges.
Launched back in November 2021, the Digital Future Initiative has also seen Google expand its partnership with universities from Australia, hoping to harness the power of quantum computing, and our local expertise, to help solve global problems.