Gregory Mattes, who graduated earlier this year, created Analog Computing Solutions , a company that will focus on improving the technology of hearing aids and prosthetic devices, according to the release.
His business model uses technologies licensed by IU’s Research and Technology Corp. originally developed by IU-Bloomington and IU-Purdue University Indianapolis faculty members.
“It has been great to receive validation from an external group that we had a strong business case, and it’s also nice to see the hard work start to pay off,” said Mattes, who will be CEO and president of the company.
As of 2012, only six corporations were responsible for more than 90 percent of hearing aids purchased worldwide. This totals $5.4 billion and 10.8 million devices , according to the release.
Mattes’ company is looking to replace the digital signal processing hardware of most hearing aid devices with an extended analog computer, according to the release.
As of now, hearing aids are effective because they use filtering algorithms to make soft noises louder and loud noises softer. They also monitor for feedback, cancel and filter out sound, reduce amplification of steady state sounds, identify and enhance speech and focus on conversations.
“But because of the power limitations of hearing aid electronics, digital signal processing restricts the ability to perform complex algorithms to improve hearing,” Mattes said in the release. “The low-power computing architecture of the extended analog computer allows for improved sound processing, longer battery life and improved hearing.”
Mattes will also be assisted by IU faculty and staff in his company.
Bryce Himebaugh, a School of Informatics and Computing computer engineering specialist, will be chief technology officer. IUPUI associate professor of bioengineering Ken Yoshida will serve as chief technology officer and John Hill, associate dean at Kelley, will be a business adviser.
“BEST was a fun experience for me,” Mattes said in the release. “It was a clear and transparent process, and I was able to put my Kelley MBA skills to work.”
Kathrine Schulze
