Hearing app makes finals in ‘health techquity’ awards

Developed in Australia in collaboration with the University of Newcastle and Maroba Caring Communities, the Sound Scouts hearing assessment app for ageing Australians has been selected as a finalist at the international digital health awards event ViVe 2025, in Nashville in the United States.

The Med-tech hearing assessment app assists aged care residents to accurately test hearing through an interactive app downloaded to an iPad. Development and trialing of the technology was supported by a grant from Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia.

ARIIA chief executive officer Reuben Jacob said ARIIA was committed to helping the aged care sector embrace the uptake of technology and innovative digital strategies.

“Seeing the Sound Scouts project getting recognised on the global stage for the incredible impact that this type of software can have in aged care is an amazing outcome,” he said.

“Awareness of the positive impacts that technology can have on the lives of those both living in and working in aged care is increasing and ARIIA is excited to see the empowerment that can be created by digital transformation across the sector.”

Speaking to Australian Ageing Agenda, Maroba Caring Communities chief executive officer and director of care Vivienne Allanson said it was valuable to recognise, support and promote the innovation and technology developed to support the aged care sector and older people.

“It’s a great opportunity not only for older people to get a positive benefit, but it’s also great for the academic world and the innovators and the manufacturing world,” she said.

The app has been widely used in schools, but this is the first time a device of its kind has been developed for use in an aged care setting. Its simplicity allows for older Australians to conduct the test themselves with the help of carers and only requires headphones and a touchscreen device.

Ms Allanson said Maroba became involved in the development of the product for an aged care setting very early in the process.

“I love to see innovation carried out and exposed and ignited in our facility,” she told AAA.

“We have a multidisciplinary approach, we have a wellness approach to all that we do, so seeing what was on offer [and] that we could be part of developing and tweaking and seeing it come to fruition was an amazing opportunity for us.”

Ms Allanson said the product has benefited dozens of residents and is now a part of their daily practice at Maroba with each new resident getting a hearing assessment via Sound Scouts.

“Someone may already have hearing aids, but it gives us our own baseline,” she said.

Then, Ms Allanson said, Maroba will do followup assessments every six-to-12 months to check if there has been any deterioration.

“We love partnering and giving an opportunity to broader people than us to create something new that has a therapeutic impact,” she told AAA.

“There’s a lot of development going on. There’s a lot of people who want to try this and try that, but I always ask the question, what’s the therapeutic benefit? Because there’s lots of things around that have a social engagement, a fun aspect; they’re great, but there’s so much opportunity in aged care to bring about genuine therapeutic benefits, and this is one of those things.”

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