NAL awarded HCF grant to deliver language agnostic AI powered hearing care solution

Millions of Australians with hearing loss face barriers to accurate diagnosis because current speech tests rely almost entirely on English. For the one in five Australians who speak a language other than English at home, this can mean delayed or incomplete care with serious consequences for communication, wellbeing and quality of life.

To address this challenge, the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) has been awarded a HCF Research Foundation Translational Research Grant to develop and implement the Universal Language Independent AI Powered Speech Test (ULIPlus).

ULIPlus goes beyond a traditional speech test. It is an AI driven hearing care solution designed to work across more than 40 languages, delivering fast, accurate and inclusive assessments. By removing language barriers, it aims to ensure all Australians regardless of cultural or linguistic background have equitable access to high quality hearing services. 

“The HCF Research Foundation Translational Research Grants are designed to accelerate the adoption of innovative health solutions into real-world care. We’re proud to support the implementation of the ULIPlus tool, which has the potential to remove language barriers in audiology and improve access to appropriate hearing care for all Australians,”- Dr Chris Pettigrew, Head of the HCF Research Foundation

The project will be co-designed and trialled with clinical partners serving multicultural communities. This collaborative approach will help integrate ULIPlus into everyday clinical practice, improving outcomes for patients, empowering clinicians with advanced AI diagnostic tools, and setting a new standard for hearing healthcare innovation.

NAL thanks the HCF Research Foundation for supporting this important work and looks forward to sharing progress as ULIPlus moves from research to practice.

HCF Research Foundation Grant Notification Event: