JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Author Interviews Why Hearing Health Must Be Part of Voice Biomarker Research
Jan 2, 2026
Join clinician-scientist Yaël Bensoussan and audiologist Victoria A. Sanchez as they dive into the crucial intersection of hearing health and voice biomarker research. They discuss the Bridge2AI initiative aimed at creating large voice-health datasets and highlight how overlooking hearing health can compromise the accuracy of voice biomarkers. The conversation also covers innovative smartphone-based hearing assessments, the importance of linking hearing with voice and cognition, and the methodological hurdles in collecting accurate data. A must-listen for those interested in the future of voice and hearing research!
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Hearing Is A Critical Confounder
- Large voice-biomarker datasets must account for many confounders to be valid.
- Yaël Bensoussan notes hearing health was a missing confounder in Bridge2AI's first 1,000-patient release.
Start With Scalable Digital Screening
- When scalable clinical standards don't exist, adopt validated digital alternatives first.
- Yaël Bensoussan recommends using app-based screening before offering full audiograms for failed screens.
Phones Let Us Measure Real-World Hearing
- Smartphone and tablet hearing tests now enable research-friendly, at-home data collection.
- Victoria A. Sanchez highlights tests that measure speech-in-noise for greater ecological validity.