If it succeeds, iMAT could bring a new level of understanding and enjoyment to millions of people who are deaf or hard of hearing - including Foster, his son and many of his friends.

It also could bring a new audience of about 28 million people in the United States to theaters, stadiums and radio broadcasters. That number of deaf and hard of hearing individuals is expected to grow to about 56 million by 2030, as aging baby boomers experience hearing loss, Foster said.

"I am the marketing" for iMAT, he said. "I can give a personal perspective of what the problem is and how to solve it."

Foster, 32, worked with three high-tech startups during the dot-com boom. He followed that wave from St. Louis to Silicon Valley, but returned to enroll his son, now 5, at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf in Chesterfield.

About 18 months ago, he began developing the idea and technology for iMAT, which he incorporated early this year. Last month, the company set up shop in the Technology Entrepreneur Center, a business incubator in downtown St. Louis.

Foster hopes to launch a prototype in the St. Louis area next year. This market is ideal, because it has a large deaf and hard-of-hearing population centered on St. Joseph, the Central Institute for the Deaf and related programs at Washington and Fontbonne universities, he said. The eventual goal is a nationwide rollout.

"It's time to do something I really care about," said Foster, who is chief executive.

The company has developed a proof-of-concept prototype device, engineered by Foster and an employee. Assisting the effort is iMAT adviser Gary Brandenburger, director of engineering entrepreneurial programs and adjunct professor of biomedical engineering at Washington University.

The product uses existing technology - closed-captioning companies plus off-the-shelf software that has been customized in a proprietary way, Foster said.

Users would pay a fee to receive the content signal over a hand-held or wearable device. Marketing and promotions would be handled by iMAT, as well as by participating radio stations and venues.

The concept "provides a lot of opportunity," said Dean Mutter, vice president of sales with Emmis Communications Corp., which owns 25 radio stations nationwide, including five in the St. Louis area.

Emmis is advising iMAT and has agreed to conduct beta tests on one of its stations, most likely KFTK, which features talk shows. If the closed captioning signal does not interfere with the sound or quality of the station's regular broadcast, Mutter said, then Emmis would consider partnering with iMAT and expanding the service to other stations.

The appeal is an opportunity to suddenly increase the stations' audience size and reach a previously untapped market, he said.

Craig Unger, manager of radio station KTRS, also is working with iMAT, Foster said. The station broadcasts local news, talk shows and sports, including Blues hockey, Rams football and, beginning next year, Cardinals baseball.

Foster said he particularly likes the idea of adding to the excitement of deaf and hard-of-hearing people attending sporting events. He knows what it's like to miss out on some of the action.

"I remember Mark McGwire hitting (a record-breaking) home run. But I didn't get that hair-raising experience, even though I was there at the ballpark. I couldn't hear Jack Buck when he started talking - it was a whole other level of content that I missed," he said. He wasn't able to pick it up until hours later, watching a closed-captioned television rebroadcast of the big moment.

Foster is passionate about the service iMAT could provide. But he also is a level-headed businessman, said Jim Brasunas, president of the Technology Entrepreneur Center.

The incubator is connecting Foster with advisers in financial planning, fundraising and marketing strategy. That, combined with Foster's experience with high-tech startups, improves the company's chance for success, Brasunas said.

"Stephen has that quality where he's on top of his game, and he's also very willing and open to learn from others - he's asking for help," Brasunas said. "We think they've got a good chance."

By Rachel Melcer
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/0/DFF94248D5ED1C288625709B003270AD?OpenDocument