Currently, people with severe hearing loss are treated with conventional hearing aids, which have less than a 50% success rate due to such problems as feedback and discomfort. OtoKinetics Inc. hopes to increase that efficacy rate to at least 90% with its Krescendo implant, a titanium device about the size of a grain of rice that is inserted into the cochlea.

Currently, people with severe hearing loss are treated with conventional hearing aids, which have less than a 50% success rate due to such problems as feedback and discomfort. OtoKinetics Inc. hopes to increase that efficacy rate to at least 90% with its Krescendo implant, a titanium device about the size of a grain of rice that is inserted into the cochlea.

Competition is spurring innovation in the hearing aid market and providers are excited at the prospect of adopting new products that can improve on existing treatments. The hottest area at the moment is implantable hearing aid devices. It's not a new concept, but it's one that many believe will command a significant share of the market.