Atlazo Inc., a San Diego semiconductor developer, announced it will develop a Healthcare-System-on-Chip (HSoC) for wearables, hearables and medical implants. And it has recruited legendary hearing-aid developer Adnan Shennib as its President of Life Sciences to lead healthcare product and business development.
Atlazo’s healthcare-focused semiconductors integrate machine learning, ultra-low power semiconductor technology, and wireless connectivity into single-chip solutions. The company said that under Shennib’s leadership, it will expand partnerships with manufacturers of innovative wearables, hearing devices, and implants. It will also work with semiconductor manufacturers, distributors, and researchers seeking medical-grade personal healthcare data.
Atlazo has already joined forces with Shennib’s other company, iHear Medical, to develop a hardware platform for next-generation hearing aids and hearables. The companies said the ultra-low-power chipset will enable machine learning, analytics, connectivity and integrated power management.
Semiconductors for Low-Cost, High-Function Hearables
Designed for internet connectivity, it will be designed to enable real-time health tracking, voice commands, and seamless connectivity to other smart devices, including mobile phones and home appliances. And it will be small enough to work in devices that fit in or behind the ear.
Atlazo will be among the few OEM chipset developers with its sights set squarely on the hearing-aid and hearables markets. Currently only six manufacturers dominate the world’s hearing-aid industry with more than 80 percent market share. And those “Big Six” do much of their custom semiconductor design and chipset integration in-house.
But with last year’s passage of the OTC Hearing Aid Act, dozens of other large and small companies are developing products for a new class of very low cost over-the-counter hearing aids and hearables. Atlazo said its products will dramatically reduce time-to-market for those designing a new generation of low-cost, high-function hearing devices.
A Serial Entrepreneur With More Than 100 Patents
Shennib, with more than 100 patents in medical devices and hearing devices, is a serial entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in healthcare innovations. In the past he played leading roles with several hearing aid manufacturers, including ReSound and InSound Medical. At Insound he invented and developed the Lyric™ hearing device that was later sold to Sonova.
Shennib said that in addition to powering hearing aids and hearables, Atlazo’s healthcare-focused semiconductor technology “will also create new types of devices for disease management, prevention, health tracking and more advanced hearing and therapeutic devices.”
Most recently, Shennib founded iHEAR Medical, where he led the development and launch of FDA-cleared affordable hearing solutions for direct-to-consumer markets. Shennib will continue to support iHEAR Medical as its founder and member of the board of directors.