Wonderful Sound for All

Could you start by introducing WS Audiology? What is your mission, and what sets you apart from the competition?

I would like to first mention something about the field in which we operate. Hearing loss is often perceived as a minor defect or problem, but it is not really a marginal issue at all. Few people realize that about 1.6 billion people worldwide suffer from this disorder, which is almost a fifth of the population. It may be due to genetics, age or come down to other factors, but it definitely affects so many people. The most common is the lighter form of hearing loss, which affects about 1.2 billion people. And although it may seem less serious, it should not be overlooked.

Hearing impairment does not only affect the ability to understand speech, as many people think. It is important to be able to perceive common sounds that surround us, such as hearing that a car or ambulance is coming or that water is running from the tap, or hearing footsteps when someone comes towards us – all these sounds are vital for our safety and comfort.

As far as the company and our products are concerned, there are, of course, a lot of players on the market who offer comparable solutions. What sets us apart is our focus on taking an individual approach to each customer. Everyone has specific needs – some just want to hear the TV better...that’s a common theme among older people who spend a lot of time at home. Others need perfect clarity even in difficult listening situations. And then we also adapt to regional specifics – somewhere affordability is key, elsewhere the emphasis is on technology and connectivity of our products.

Does the environment in which people live also affect hearing impairment? For example, can the type or extent of hearing loss vary in different regions or latitudes?

Rather than regional differences, we see the influence of a specific environment that changes around us. Especially in more civilized areas, such as our country or Europe in general, so-called “acoustic smog” is much more pronounced. This means that we are exposed to more and more background noise – whether it is traffic, an inappropriate working environment or an increasing number of people in a small space. A typical example is open-space offices, where lots of people are suddenly talking, a copying machine or other technology is running, and in such an environment, communication is far more demanding.

Long-term noise exposure can also contribute to hearing loss. For example, the young generation, which often use headphones, gets into a situation where the sound acts remarkably close to the eardrum, often for a long time and at high volume. This will certainly manifest itself in the future, and these people can then become our customers sooner than they might have expected.

In the genesis of human hearing loss, there can be not only the noise itself, but also stress, which is also often related to the increased loudness of the environment. A relatively common accompanying phenomenon of hearing loss is tinnitus – ringing in the ears. This can arise as a result of long-term exposure to noise, but also due to stress and other neurological factors.

What is the proportion of people with hearing loss caused by genetics compared to those who develop problems due to lifestyle and environment?

Genetics, of course, play a role, but the proportion of people who have hearing impairment due to hereditary reasons is significantly lower than the numbers of those who develop hearing loss due to aging and environmental conditions. Most of us will encounter this problem sooner or later – someone to a greater extent, someone to a lesser extent. It depends on how we are exposed to noise and stress during our lives. So even though genetics has its share, the main factor is aging and what conditions we are exposed to in the long term.

Your company’s mission is to improve the lives of people with hearing impairments by making hearing aids that enable them to hear better. What is at the heart of this mission?

Of course, the products we offer form the basis of our business and are crucial to improving the lives of our customers. But it doesn’t stop there. What services we provide to our customers is another key factor. We also focus on educating the professional public. This is actually one of the essential components of our activity. We are one of the few undertakings that educates physicians in the field of hearing impairment.

We recently hosted an event attended by 120 professionals dealing with pediatric hearing loss, an area known as pediatric audiology. We welcomed experts from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and the event was a huge success. We also invited specialists in diagnostics and follow-up care – the latter of which we must not forget. It is important not only to diagnose hearing loss, but also to properly compensate for its consequences. In children, proper compensation is especially important because speech development is essential for overall further cognitive development. Hearing plays a key role in many aspects, such as the development of thinking, memory or the acquisition of reading and writing skills. Hearing involves a greatly important sensory organ that helps us orient ourselves in the world.

How do such hearing aids actually work? Are they similar to the classic headphones we use for music playback?

The function of hearing aids is far more complex. Sometimes hearing aids are compared to a sound amplifier, but this is not entirely accurate. An amplifier amplifies all sounds linearly, in the same way. However, the ear is a nonlinear organ. We perceive quiet sounds, speech and loud sounds all differently, so what arrives in the ear also needs to be adapted differently, to a relatively narrow range.

During an examination, for example, the physician determines our hearing threshold, meaning the level at which we begin to hear sounds but cannot yet understand words. Then there is the level of pleasant listening, where we are already able to recognize speech and meaning. This is the key level with which hearing aids work. It is equally important to avoid amplifying already loud enough sounds so that they do not become unpleasant. The hearing aid amplifies silent sounds so that the user perceives them, while at the same time, it must ensure speech intelligibility and also that loud noises, such as a passing ambulance, are not disturbing.

The fact that hearing aids process sounds in real time is also fascinating. For example, when you want to open an app on your phone, it usually takes a while to load. However, the hearing aid cannot have any delay – the information must be transmitted in milliseconds. It must also be water resistant; if it rains or you sweat, the hearing aid must cope with it. Meanwhile, the battery must have sufficient battery life so that the user does not have to charge it in the middle of the day. So most hearing aids today last two or three days on a single charge. And all this must fit in a space of approximately 3 x 3 millimeters so that the hearing aid can be placed either directly in the ear or behind the ear.

Today’s hearing aids are actually high-performance computers, but they must be small enough to fit in such a small space and work flawlessly in real time.

What types of hearing aids are there? Does it come down to what type of hearing impairment a person has, or rather what is more comfortable for them? Does the technology on which the hearing aids are based also play a role in this?

Technology may play a minor role in this case, because today we are able to produce virtually equally powerful hearing aids in many different designs – whether it is a completely hidden hearing aid inside the ear or a model situated behind the ear. What often influences the choice are the user’s preferences. Many people make decisions for aesthetic reasons and do not want the hearing aid to be visible. The level of hearing loss itself and the doctor’s recommendations also play a vital role. For certain types of hearing impairment, a hearing aid that is completely embedded in the ear canal is more suitable, while for others, a model that is more visible but offers additional benefits may be the better choice.

You have also developed a special mobile application for your hearing aids. What is it used for?

Previously, hearing aids had controllers built in directly – for example, to control volume or switch programs. We call the program “different specific settings for different listening situations”, for example, the user can switch between two-way communication mode or TV listening mode. Initially, these functions were controlled directly on the hearing aids, later small remote controls began to be used, which the user could discreetly hide in his pocket and it was not visible that he was adjusting something behind his ear. Today, the mobile phone is an integral part of our everyday life, so we decided to place the control in it. But it’s no longer just about adjusting the volume or changing programs, the app offers users much wider options. p class="u-text-left">For example, we use functions based on machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence. Although it has only been talked about a lot in the last two years, we have been working with this concept for six years. Thanks to this, users can gradually adjust the hearing aid settings to suit their needs by comparing different listening environments in specific situations. p class="u-text-left">What would have previously required a doctor’s visit can now be done by users themselves. For example, if the setting does not suit a particular situation, the user compares the first and second variants, and the hearing aid can be adjusted in several steps to ensure better speech intelligibility or greater comfort. The application can also work with location services, for example. Imagine that you come to the office and your hearing aids are automatically set to the preset “office” mode. If you go to play cards at the same time every week, the hearing aid will set itself to the optimal mode for this activity and so on thanks to the app.

Do you see the development of the application as one of the most significant technological advances in the field of hearing aids, or can we look forward to further innovations?

The application is certainly of great importance because it primarily helps end users. However, there have been several other fundamental changes recently. Personally, I see three main areas that have modernized hearing aids over the past five years.

The first is machine learning as I mentioned. The large amount of user data obtained allows us to refine and adjust not only the hearing aid settings, but also the activity of various applications and other products. In addition, certain types of our products work in the cloud today. This allows us to share and compare how users around the world have responded in similar situations. We then analyze this data and utilize it for further optimization and development.

The second important area is connectivity. Today, people want to communicate more with their surroundings, whether it is a cellular phone or video conferencing, or they want to listen to quality music. Previously, hearing aids did not work like classic headphones, with which you can listen to just these kinds of sounds, but we have been able to offer this function to users for the last five years. For example, they can answer a call directly on the hearing aid without actually having to grab their phone. Another advantage is that ability to listen to music, and navigation is another great example. When you set your destination, you can hear instructions directly in your hearing aids while your phone stays hidden in your pocket or purse. Such connectivity even gives hearing aid users a bit of an edge over those who don’t need or use them.

Is it not dangerous for hearing aid users to have music played in their ears instead of being well aware of the surrounding traffic?

This is where the key difference comes into play between hearing aids and conventional wireless headphones, where the user only hears what is playing, be it music, podcast or anything else. However, hearing aids remain primarily designed as just that...hearing aids. The hearing aid microphone still ensures contact with the environment, and any additional sound, such as music or navigation instructions, is set to a lower level. Of course, users can customize this level, but they will still be able to hear what’s going on around them. The ability to perceive one’s surroundings and safety are always paramount.

Did you encounter a problem with GDPR when collecting data from hearing aids?

Primarily, we do not collect personal data about users, such as names, addresses and the like. The data we collect is anonymized and relates only to the audio environment in which users navigate. This is not about localization services, meaning information about where the user is located, but about the sound characteristics of the environment. The second thing we observe is the given type of the user’s hearing loss. This type of hearing loss does not say anything specific about an individual because the same type of hearing loss can affect 50, 100 or 200 people. Therefore, this does not identify any specific person.

How do you see the future of hearing care? Are there any rules or tips on how to take good care of oneself in this regard, and how does this care develop?

Hearing care is extremely important. If we take it from the beginning, there are already great programs aimed at early detection of hearing loss in newborns. For example, newborn screening, which has been performed here for around four or five years, allows us to detect hearing loss already on the 2nd or 3rd day after birth. This information is essential because if hearing loss is detected so early, it can be treated. This is followed by a three-month period during which we should ascertain how severe the hearing loss is and ensure that it is compensated within the child’s first year if it is confirmed. This is critical because untreated hearing loss can negatively affect not only speech development, but also the cognitive development of the child, the development of memory structures and the engagement of the nervous system.

However, hearing care remains important throughout life. Usually, due to age, we may find it harder to hear when someone is talking to us, and in some situations, we just don’t understand what someone is saying. This is often a slow and inconspicuous process, but it can gradually begin to isolate us from our surroundings. There is a nice saying that blindness separates things, while deafness separates people. Initial hearing loss means loss of contact, fear of asking what someone said, and a sense of isolation. This can lead to a loss of interest in what is happening around us. We often see this in seniors. The use of hearing aids can prevent the onset of degenerative diseases in up to 42% of hearing-impaired people. If the brain does not receive the needed information, it more or less stops working and using its various parts, which, of course, subsequently increases the risk of developing these diseases.

How do we protect our hearing and keep it working for as long as possible?

There are several basic measures we can take: Above all, I would recommend avoiding environments with high noise intensity. However, if you are in such an environment, it is important to use protective equipment such as headphones or hearing protectors. These are primarily things that should be an integral part of the hygiene of the working environment or occupational health and safety.

Furthermore, if someone begins to notice that they hear someone talking but do not understand what’s being said, it is a good idea to go visit a doctor. While sometimes the problem can be temporary and easily fixed, it can also be an indicator of more serious changes. Your physician will provide you with the necessary information and diagnosis.

If hearing loss is detected, it is crucial to not fear it but rather face it and solve the problem. Modern hearing aids are much more advanced than they were 10 or 15 years ago, thanks to which people can avoid the feeling of isolation and loss of information when communicating, which is crucial in both work and personal life.

Do you have any tips on how to motivate people who don’t want to admit that they have a hearing problem to actually start to deal with it?

Unfortunately, this is quite difficult; everyone has to make the decision on their own. It often happens that children bring their parents in, claiming that it is impossible to endure and the parents need help. But until the person recognizes that they have a problem, it is difficult to convince them to at least try something. Motivation often comes more or less on its own at various key moments: for example, when grandchildren come to visit and instead of understanding what they are talking about, the grandparent sits disengaged and does not know what is going on. Then the grandparent begins to be interested and willing to cooperate in finding a solution.

What could really help is raising awareness. Many people perceive it as a stigma, still associating hearing loss with the idea that it is a problem of people with lower intelligence or other difficulties. At the same time, hearing loss is part of our lives and affects most of us sooner or later. Just as people are not afraid to go to the eye doctor because of myopia to get glasses, hearing aids should also be considered perfectly normal. In some countries, access to hearing care is similarly self-evident; the Czech Republic could use a little improvement in awareness of the benefits of hearing aids and modern technologies.

Does WS Audiology also try to raise this awareness?

Undoubtedly yes, but we face some limitations within this, because as a manufacturer of medical devices that are covered by health insurance, we have legislative limits that hinder us in communication. Nevertheless, we focus greatly on the mentioned education of the professional public. We believe that having a properly informed professional community will in turn help end users, meaning those people who ultimately need and use our products.

What was news to us was that you “install” hearing aids right here in Dock. Will you tell us how this whole process takes place, from somebody finding out they need them to actually having and using them?

In the Czech Republic, the treatment process is set up in such a way that it begins in specialist outpatient clinics. A person who wants to start solving a hearing problem must visit a specialized clinic, usually that of an otolaryngologist or phoniatrist. The first step is to conduct an anamnesis, where the physician obtains general patient information. This is followed by an audiometric examination, during which the patient is played tones of different frequencies and volumes in both ears, who then confirms that they hear the tone by pressing a button. This helps us determine if there is hearing loss and, if so, how severe it is.

Based on the resulting audiogram, we obtain information about the nature of the hearing loss. User preferences are also important. For example, one may wish for the hearing aid to be as unobtrusive as possible. This means choosing one that is completely hidden in the ear canal. In other cases, users may acknowledge the benefits of partially visible hearing aids, which better process sound and suppress distracting effects, such as noise from passing cars or wind. Even colors play an important role today – just as people used to prefer body tones to make the device as invisible as possible, today they often choose shades that adapt to hair color, or, on the contrary, attractive bold colors that express their personality.

Thus, the whole process involves examination, finding out the user’s preferences and physician’s recommendations, all of which provides us the basis for the production of the hearing aid. Each hearing aid has an individual part that must sit correctly in the ear, which is ensured by an ear canal imprint. This is then scanned with a 3D scanner, based on which we produce the shell of the hearing aid. The laboratory technician then optimizes the positioning of individual components so that the device meets the technical requirements. Finally, the finished hearing aid is delivered to the physician, who performs the first setup with the user based on the audiogram and other data.

However, this process is actually just the beginning of the journey. So far, we have only one piece of information from one exam in a quiet environment. As soon as the patient leaves, the situation is diametrically different, and it is necessary to continuously optimize and basically tweak all the settings to finally achieve optimal comfort. The key is to ensure speech clarity, suppress distracting noises, or help determine where the sound is coming from. If the patient is one of the lucky ones, one or two adjustments to the settings suffice. This is where the mobile application helps again – where you would previously have to make an appointment with the specialist, go to the clinic and waste time, you can now adjust the settings yourself in the app on your phone.

Does it happen more often that the correct settings are made right from the start, or does it usually take time? Don’t people get startled when they first go outside and hear the tram ring next to them?

This used to be one of the reasons why people refused hearing aids. Hearing aids were not as sophisticated as they are today - most earlier ones used simple, linear amplifiers. These are actually those classic headphones, amplifying all the sounds that came into them, including the really loud ones. Speech in this case is not quite intelligible and listening is highly uncomfortable. Unfortunately, some mail-order stores today offer such “hearing aids” and their use can cause hearing damage.

As for adjustments, it depends on when you start. The earlier and the smaller the hearing loss, the better. At a younger age and in better mental condition, the brain tends to respond faster and more flexibly to changes, which is an advantage. This is also why I say that a verifying checkup should not be postponed – the sooner you start, the smaller the changes you will have to accept.

Of course, if hearing loss occurs after an injury or after taking some medication, there is no longer much possibility for a person to influence the situation – but fortunately this covers a smaller percentage. Most people experience gradual development of hearing loss and the earlier they arrive, the more likely they are to be in the group of lucky ones who have their new hearing aids adjusted correctly on the first try.

WS Audiology is already a global company with an interesting history created by the fusion of two major brands. How did it all start and how do you work in the Czech Republic today?

Five years ago, two companies merged. The first one, where I started 20 years ago, is originally a Danish company – Denmark, by the way, is fantastic because, although it is a much smaller country than ours, it has a hugely innovative, industrialized and self-confident society in terms of health. This part of the company primarily focuses on sound quality and is still a family-owned business, managed by the third generation of its original founders. The latter is a slightly better-known company – originally Siemens, later Sivantos, today Signia. It is originally German and has a long history not only in the field of healthcare and medical technology, but also in many other industries. The fusion of these two undertakings was primarily to expand cooperation in the field of research and development of new products - it is very financially demanding and it is a long haul. Today, we are a global company operating in 140 markets around the world. As for the Czech Republic, our two offices officially merged in 2019, but we did not physically merge until this year here at Dock.

You say that you have been working in the same company and industry for 20 years. What do you still enjoy about it after all those years?

One of those reasons is having a great team. This is the thing that supports you and energizes you. It is an amazing feeling to have people around you who not only take the job as a job, but for many of them, also as a hobby. We have ultra-low turnover, colleagues who have been with the company for 30 years since its founding, and many others who have been here for 10 or 15 years with no intention of leaving. It is more likely that someone will retire than decide to go elsewhere. (laughs)

Wherein do you think the magic lies? How come people want to stay with you?

I think one of the main reasons is definitely the atmosphere. In the 30 years we have been on the market, we have always tried to operate more as a family business than as a corporation. From the start, we have followed the example from our Danish roots. We tried proactively to establish everything so that people would be closer, and avoid making it feel like some cold corporation where no one knows anyone’s name. To achieve this, we focused from the very outset on the fact that just having a good product is not enough. We also want to give it solid support. We try to be continually active, not only in selling, but also in helping users before and after buying.

We have tried to maintain this atmosphere the whole time, and even new colleagues usually quickly fit in and adopt this mindset. When someone comes to visit us, they often say that they feel at ease, without stress or inconvenience. It is also about cooperation – when someone gets sick or falls out, there is no problem, someone always jumps in. The best part is that it does not have to be determined by the leaders. People see for instance that someone in dispatch has somehow missed work, and they go automatically to help pack packages without having to be told.

Do you have any guaranteed tips on how to motivate employees or improve the working environment? What works for your company, in what ways are you innovative and what do you offer that other companies do not?

Probably that we don’t really try to follow any of the latest trends. We do things more according to how we feel...that our colleagues might be interested or entertained. It may seem a bit silly to some, but one example is acquiring a foosball table. Or that we go out of our way to help people when they need something personal. We give them a lot of leeway in this, we do not investigate when someone says that they need to go handle personal affairs or visit their doctor, and we do not ask for any confirmation. We believe that when trust works bilaterally, it comes back to us.

Here at Dock, we have new large common areas, that’s something new for us. We call it the square – a place where people can meet and resolve other issues besides work, which they really do to our joy. In the morning, they may bring their breakfast there, which they would otherwise eat at home, they have coffee, talk, and it’s the same during lunch. When it’s someone’s birthday, they gather there and wish them a happy birthday. I keep returning to the fact that everything stems from a good mood and team spirit. People then come up with initiatives themselves – maybe they organize an event themselves, not as a mandatory team-building, but purely of their own free will. Every year, we go to the mountains like this. It’s simply that they want to see and be around each other even outside of work.

Is there anything you particularly like about the new spaces in Dock?

I enjoy the modern architecture and design. I like that it’s not just about office space here, but rather embodies a community concept. The outdoor areas between the buildings – sun loungers, furniture, the possibility of sitting down with a picnic basket – this is something I really like. It reminds me of Denmark, where common spaces really work. People are not shy to sit on the grass, whether in the park or by the river, and spend time outdoors. Today, the younger generation takes it naturally, they play Frisbee, pétanque, enjoy a bottle of wine, they feel free to bring along a portable grill. This always fascinated me in Scandinavia, and I’m glad to see that it works here too. I often see people making full use of these spaces. I also enjoy your community activities, such as the outdoor movie screenings. Of course, the surrounding environment – the Vltava River, greenery – only enhances this. And then there are such "perks" as the possibility of eating well or getting in a relaxing workout in the gym. I also see this as a major plus.

How do you maintain the right work-life balance? How do you rest?

That’s easy – I love the Šumava Mountains. When I really need to switch off and relax, that’s where I run to. I walk the mountains, often choosing routes off the beaten path, and when I come back, I like to sit in a pub and just observe and people-watch, and when someone is open to engaging in conversation, that is the kind of engagement I like. It just makes me happy to change up the environment – to exchange that urban, somewhat tightly bound and dusty one, for a free, fresh and beautiful one, for nature. And, of course, I appreciate experiencing a completely different group of people. I find real joy in this.

Thank you for the interview.