Students set sights on business success with sound online idea

TWO former Sligo students have their sights set on business success helping people affected by tinnitus.

Restored Hearing Ltd was set up last summer by Eimear O’Carroll and Rhona Togher, together with Anthony Carolan, their former science teacher at Ursuline College in Sligo. The girls were part of a team that scooped a top prize at the 2009 BT Young Scientist competition for their simple therapy which eases temporary tinnitus for anyone with internet access and a set of outer ear headphones. The problem results in a ringing in the ears caused by loud music, workplace noise amongst other causes. By logging onto their website, customers can choose from a range of low frequency tones which will be played back at them. In more than 95% of people the team tested the technology with, the soothing tones helped to stop the high-pitched ringing which can be caused by a range of sources.

Most people suffer temporary tinnitus at some stage but most often after being exposed to loud music, which could be at a concert or as a result of listening to personal music players. “It’s usually a ringing or a shrill high-pitched sound, caused by a bending of the tiny hairs which carry sound receptors in the inner ear,” explains Eimear, who is studying physics at University of Edinburgh.

The therapy available from Restored Hearing allows users to have those membranes right themselves when the low frequency tone is played through earphones, which should not be ones placed inside the ear, as the aim is to lower the amount of sound energy being directed at the eardrum.

“We spent the entire summer setting up the website and it’s been running since August. People can log on themselves and refine their therapy choice, and we also respond daily to e-mails or other queries,” says Eimear.

With Rhona studying at university in Dublin, the company is being run from three different places but the trio still manage to meet often enough to discuss future developments.

“There’s still a lot of management and publicity issues to be done but the site is relatively self-sufficient. We’re looking at the possibility of a more mobile device, or maybe developing a mobile phone application,” Eimear says.

The company has had strong support from the Sligo County Enterprise Baord and may yet start looking at further expansion. “We have a business loan we’d like to get paid off but we’re starting to spread our sales in Australia, central Europe and Britain. In the next year, we’d like to have high brand recognition in the worldwide tinnitus therapy market,” says Eimear.

“We were trying to get a patent but have had all manner of difficulties, as you’re not allowed to patent something in Ireland if it’s a medical device,” she explains.

But having overcome many barriers in their research and development to date, the group may yet become a global name. Irish people can help the cause and find some relief from their own temporary tinnitus by logging on to www.restoredhearing.ie and trying it out for themselves.