Starkey, an Eden Prairie-based company that's created hearing solutions for more than a half-century, has been named on TIME Magazine's list of Best 2019 Inventions.
TIME's list includes 100 total devices in categories such as gaming, parenting and productivity. Starkey was highlighted in the accessibility category along with three other companies.
Starkey was recognized for the creation of Livio AI, a hearing aid that provides users with improved hearing capabilities while tracking body and brain health. The device contains sensors and AI technology that allows it to stream music; verbally answer questions like a smart assistant; translate conversations from one language to another; detect falls and measure physical activity. It also tracks how often users talk to other people during the day – a helpful feature for elderly users who can become isolated.
Starkey CTO Achin Bhowmik told TIME that Livio is the company's "best-selling product ever." Bhowmik wears the device even though he doesn't have hearing loss. "It's better than normal hearing," he said to the magazine.
Starkey was also a finalist in the med-tech division of this year's Tekne awards.
This is at least the second consecutive year that a Minnesota company has been recognized on TIME's list of best inventions. HabitAware, a startup creating a device that tracks repetitive behaviors like nail biting, was honored in the health and wellness category in 2018.
