As part of the competence network ‘Hearing acoustics and Audiology by the Belt’ (HABelt), an ‘Online Service Centre for heAring caRe’ (OSCAR) will be developed. This work is supported by the EU Interreg-6a funding scheme for Germany and Denmark. The project has a duration of 3 years (2026-2029) and a budget of 1.7 mill. EUR.
Vision
The overall vision of OSCAR is an innovative digital platform that makes hearing care more accessible, integrated, and user-friendly. It will bridge the gap between self-help and professional support. Importantly, OSCAR will not replace the services provided by hearing-care professionals but rather enhance them in a seamless manner.
Developed as a user-driven solution, OSCAR will integrate multiple types of services into an intuitive platform that is accessible via smartphones, tablets, etc. Its design will be based on insights from focus groups with target users to ensure that their needs are met.
OSCAR will serve people with untreated hearing problems, hearing aid candidates, and experienced hearing aid users. Unlike product-driven platforms, it will provide neutral advice, enabling users to make informed choices without pressure or sales tactics.
Project and network partners
The following project partners are involved in OSCAR:
- Dept. of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark (Profs. Tobias Neher & Michal Fereczkowski)
- Dept. of Audiology, Odense University Hospital (Clinical Prof. Jesper Hvass Schmidt)
- German Institute of Hearing Aids GmbH (PD Dr. Hendrik Husstedt & Dr. Florian Denk)
- hear-concept GmbH & Co. KG (Maurice Horn)
In addition, there are five affiliated network partners:
- Institute of Acoustics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Lübeck (Prof. Tim Jürgens)
- Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (Dr. Daniela Hollfelder)
- Interacoustics Research Unit (Dr. Søren Laugesen)
- Centre for Applied Audiology Research, Oticon A/S (Dr. Sébastien Santurette)
- Høreforeningen (Majbritt Garbul Tobberup)
A key aim of OSCAR is to widen the competence network with relevant special interest groups and political stakeholders, for example.
Work packages
OSCAR includes five work packages:
- Project management and public relations (lead: University of Southern Denmark)
- Implementation of platform (lead: hear-concept)
- Information services and user-driven design (lead: Odense University Hospital)
- Hearing screening and needs assessment (lead: University of Southern Denmark)
- Audiological recommendations and aftercare (lead: German Institute of Hearing Aids)
