NewSound’s AI-powered OTC hearing aids highlight on-device speech enhancement
NewSound introduced a new line of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids in March 2025, following an official announcement via BusinessWire. The devices incorporate Femtosense’s Sparse Processing Unit 001 (SPU-001) technology and provide on-device speech enhancement through AI-accelerated noise reduction, aiming to improve sound clarity without reliance on cloud-based processing.
The SPU-001 chip, developed by California-based Femtosense, uses sparse neural networks to perform real-time audio enhancement while minimising power consumption. NewSound reports that its hearing aids adapt in real time to complex acoustic environments, such as crowded venues or urban noise, to improve speech intelligibility. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), difficulty hearing clearly in noisy environments is a common issue among individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss.
A 2024 MarketsandMarkets report projects that the global ear health market, which includes hearing aids, will grow from USD 1.4 billion in 2021 to USD 1.9 billion by 2026, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3%.
By focusing on local device processing, the devices reportedly address privacy and latency concerns often associated with cloud-connected AI solutions. NewSound positions the new models as OTC hearing aids, a category typically intended for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss, and highlights their availability through OTC channels. This approach aligns with broader industry trends towards more accessible hearing technology.
At the time of writing, no independent performance reviews of the devices have been identified.
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