We’re on a mission to radically improve hearing technology
Breakthrough innovation depends on high integrity scientific research.
Our research interests
We study word recognition across complex multi-speaker environments.
We evaluate Fortell in everyday noise scenarios like restaurants and streets.
We measure subjective inputs to ensure wearers love our products.
Studying hearing is complex, and we don’t cut corners. Fortell clinical trials follow gold-standard research practices.
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Blinded, randomized study designs to ensure unbiased results
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Collaboration with outside academics to uphold the highest standards
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Real-world listening scenarios to verify results in everyday conditions
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Controlled lab environments to ensure precision and repeatability
Our research findings
Clinically measured
Fortell’s Spatial AI reduces distracting noise
Spatial AI uses an array of synchronized microphones and advanced directional processing to map your surroundings. It isolates the human voice while softening distracting sounds, mimicking the way a healthy brain naturally filters noise.
Proven in controlled studies
Signal-to-noiseimprovements enhance speech understanding
Our sound-processing technology uses AI to identify the voices that matter (the signal) and suppress unwanted sounds (noise) in near real-time.
When the person you want to hear is barely louder than the laughter, clanking dishes, and bustling waiters around you at a restaurant, it’s nearly impossible to understand what they are saying. Fortell makes speech significantly louder than background noise so you can follow the conversation again.
Clinically validated
Wearers prefer Fortell over competitors
Objective metrics—such as signal-to-noise ratios—can indicate that speech is clearer or background noise is reduced. However, the subjective listening experience is equally critical. Subtle audio qualities and spatial perception all shape how a listener perceives sound.
Our advisors
Our external research advisors bring deep expertise across audiology, hearing science, and patient advocacy. They work closely with our internal team to shape study design, strengthen interpretation, and ensure our research meets a high standard of evidence.
Our researchers
Fortell’s research team spans clinical audiology and hearing science, AI, and signal processing. Together, they lead our scientific strategy and translate research into product innovation.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The study on listening preference compared Fortell against the five top-spec hearing aids on the market. The study on speech intelligibility compared Fortell to the leading AI-powered hearing aid. This ensures that Fortell’s performance is measured against the best options currently available.
In all studies we program our hearing aids and the control hearing aids to the same settings. This ensures that the comparison is always fair. For example, in the Intelligibility Study both the Fortell and control devices were programmed to their maximum settings for directionality and noise reduction.
A “gold standard” clinical trial represents the highest level of scientific rigor and credibility in testing medical devices. Key components include:
- Blinded methodology: participants don't know which device is being evaluated at a given time, eliminating bias.
- Randomized controlled trial design: Participants are randomly assigned to different testing conditions, ensuring results are not skewed by participant selection or external factors.
- Proper comparison groups: testing is conducted against the best available alternatives on the market, so that any performance claims are meaningful and relevant.
We are constantly conducting research to better serve the needs of our patients.
1Results based on clinical trial “Spatial AI Improves Speech Intelligibility for Hearing Aid Wearers in Challenging Multi-talker Noise” (Nov 2025).
2Results based on clinical trial "Spatial AI Consistently Preferred to State of the Art Hearing Aids in Multitalker Noise" (Nov 2025).
