217 - The Power of Real-Time Captions: Dr. Barbara Weinstein on InnoCaption App Survey Findings

Gael Hannan and Shari Eberts interview Dr. Barbara Weinstein, a distinguished professor at CUNY and adjunct professor at NYU Langone Medical Center. Dr. Weinstein shares her recent research on the InnoCaption app, which provides real-time captions for phone calls, making them accessible to individuals with hearing loss. Dr. Weinstein highlights that many hearing professionals are not familiar with captioning apps like InnoCaption, despite their potential to greatly improve phone call experiences for hearing aid and cochlear implant users. Her research involved a comprehensive survey of InnoCaption users, focusing on both technological and psychosocial benefits. Key findings revealed that before using the app, users experienced high levels of frustration and anxiety during phone calls. However, after three months of using InnoCaption, participants reported increased phone usage, reduced listening effort, and improved emotional well-being. They felt more relaxed and confident, especially during important calls such as medical appointments. InnoCaption, which is free and funded by the FCC, offers both live stenographer and automated speech recognition options, enhancing accessibility at no cost to users. Dr. Weinstein emphasizes the importance of audiologists inquiring about their patients' phone call experiences and recommending tools like InnoCaption to improve their quality of life. For more details on the research, visit https://www.innocaption.com/white-paper Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest episodes each week, and follow This Week in Hearing on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter): https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-week-in-hearing/ https://twitter.com/WeekinHearing