"There were some issues with the licensee and the amount of control we wanted to have," said Rick Gilbert, vice president and general manager of Ear Technology Corp.

"We mutually decided that they weren't going to participate. By this time, Dr. (Daniel R.) Schumaier had traveled to places in Europe and had been in a number of hearing aid factories and said, ‘You know, we can do this in Johnson City.' "

TransEar was invented by Johnson City audiologist Dr. Daniel Schumaier of Dr. Daniel R. Schumaier and Associates Audiology. The device is designed for patients with single-sided deafness. Instead of an acoustic receiver, it uses a miniature bone vibrator, which then sends amplified signals through the skull to the individual's better ear.

The device received a patent in 2004 and was approved by the FDA last year.

Ear Technology Corp. received approval last week from the Johnson City Board of Zoning Appeals to permit production in its warehouse at 604 N. Roan St. Gilbert said they are currently waiting on equipment to come in but hope to begin production in about a month.

TransEar consists of three main sections - a processor, which wraps behind the ear; a wire connector; and the transfer unit, which is custom-fit to each wearer's ear. Gilbert said Ear Technology will be purchasing the processor. The other parts will be produced in the Johnson City facility. Assembly of all parts will also occur in-house.

Gilbert said initially the work force to produce the TransEar hearing aid will consist of three highly specialized and well-paid workers - a shell expert, who came from a hearing aid company in Atlanta; a production supervisor; and a local, who they intend to hire and train for the job.

"This is all hand assembly," Gilbert said. "This is all custom. It's also very much high-tech. These are all medical devices."

In order to create the device, audiologists will send a patient's ear impressions to the new facility. The impression is then scanned via a three-dimensional scanner. The external scan is then turned into a relatively hollow shell, which is created by a laser, layer by layer, out of resin.

Ear Technology hopes to produce between 1,000 and 2,000 TransEar hearing aids within the first year. Gilbert said he expects that number, as well as the corporation's work force, to expand as they become able to ship the devices worldwide.

Ear Technology also produces one of Schumaier's other inventions, the Dry and Store unit - a conditioning device that helps improve the life of hearing aids by removing moisture, drying ear wax and killing bacteria.

For more information on TransEar visit www.transear.com. For information on the Dry and Store unit, visit www.dryandstore.com.

By Christan M. Thomas
http://www.timesnews.net/businessArticle.dna?_StoryID=3613746