Hearing And Brain
Hearing care made easy and joyful every day with IHAB
Hearing Care Platform
The future of hearing rehabilitation lies in improving hearing quality.
- Quality of Hearing
Rehabilitation- Beyond Threshold
Diagnosis
Technology
The power to hear is the power that sustains relationships. Hearing loss isn't just about hearing — it's a social communication issue. That's why accurate diagnosis and consistent training matter.
IHAB combines audiology, brain science, and AI to develop hearing diagnostics and rehabilitation programs.
Hearing Loss and Auditory Brain Function
- With an aging population and growing noise exposure, the number of people with hearing loss keeps rising — and it's starting at younger ages.
- Sound doesn't stop at the ear — it's interpreted by the brain.
- Understanding how the brain processes sound is essential for proper assessment and treatment.
Diagnosing and Treating Speech-in-Noise Perception
- Once you start missing what others say in a group, a hearing problem becomes a relationship problem.
- Even with normal hearing, many people struggle to understand speech in noisy environments.
- IHAB is developing AI-driven algorithms that assess and train cognition and auditory perception together.
Diagnosing and Training Sound Localization
- Noticing an oncoming car when crossing the street, or turning toward whoever is speaking in a group — these rely on knowing where sound comes from.
- A large hearing gap between the ears, or impaired auditory processing in the brain, makes it harder to localize sound.
- IHAB is developing clinically usable sound localization testing and training programs.
Publication & Patent
Hearing Test Pro
Registered Patent
Korean Digits-in-Noise Test System (Patent No. 10-2954373)
SoundCompass
Registered Patent
Automated Method and System for Sound Localization Discrimination Testing (Patent No. 10-2778770)
VR SoundCompass
Registered Patent
Sound Localization Discrimination Training System and Method (Patent No. 10-2484145)
Hearing Test Pro
Patent Filed
Method and Apparatus for Hearing Ability Assessment (App. No. 10-2024-0064205)
IHAB SpeechEar
Patent Filed
Auditory Cognitive Training System Platform (App. No. 10-2022-0176968)
VR SoundCompass
Patent Filed
1) Apparatus and Method for Sound Localization Testing in Virtual Environments Using Personalized Head-Related Transfer Functions (App. No. 10-2023-0125367) 2) Apparatus and Method for Sound Localization Training Using Personalized Head-Related Transfer Functions (App. No. 10-2024-0017568)
VR SoundCompass
Patent Filed (3 Countries)
TRAINING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SOUND DIRECTIONAL DISCRIMINATION ABILITY — US 18/250,336, EU 21 886 657.2, China 202180073275.6
VR SoundCompass
PCT International Application
Apparatus and Method for Generating Personalized Head-Related Transfer Functions (App. No. 10-2024-0064205)
Hearing Test Pro
Related Paper
Development of a smartphone-based digits-in-noise test in Korean: a hearing screening tool for speech perception in noise. Ji-Hye Han, Dongwon Yi, Jihyun Lee, Won-Du Chang, and Hyo-Jeong Lee (2020). Journal of Korean Medical Science. 35(21).
Hearing Test Pro
Related Paper
Evaluating the Korean digits-in-noise test to classify the degree of hearing loss. Ji-Hye Han, Sungmin-Jo, Seungik Jeon, Jihyun Lee, Jaehee Lee, and Heo-Jeong Lee (2025). International Journal of Audiology.
SoundCompass
Related Paper
Jeon, S.I., Lee, J.H., Han, J.H., Jeong, D., Lee, H.J. An Automated System for Sound Localization Testing in Hearing-Impaired Listeners. J. Vis. Exp. (229), e70048, doi:10.3791/70048. (2026).
SoundCompass
Related Paper
Optimizing sound localization experiment for the clinical setting: A case study on a sequential bilateral cochlear implantation. Seung-ik Jeon, Ji-Hye Han, Ji-Hyun Lee, Hyo Jeong Lee (2023).
VR SoundCompass
Related Paper
Feasibility of Virtual Reality-Based Auditory Localization Training with Binaurally Recorded Auditory Stimuli for Patients with single-sided deafness. Leeseul Shin, Jihyun Lee, Ji-Hye Han, Hangae Jeon, Sung-Kwang Hong, Hyo-Jeong Lee (2023). Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology. 16(3).
History
2023
- 08
Founded IHAB Inc.
- 12
Joined the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Research-Centered Hospital Fostering Project
2024
- 02
Relocated headquarters to Chuncheon, Gangwon State
- 03
Selected for the U-Tech Valley program (Korea Technology Finance Corporation)
- 06
Won the 2024 Korea Patent Award (Sound Localization Testing & Training Device)
Released beta version of IHAB SpeechEar auditory training software
- 08
Selected for the Startup Growth Technology Program (Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs)
- 12
Certified as an in-house corporate research institute
Completed usability evaluation of IHAB Hearing Test Pro (Seoul National University Bundang Hospital)
2025
- 04
Selected for the IP Nare support program (Korea Invention Promotion Association)
- 04
Selected for the Pediatric Disease R&D Program (Korea Health Industry Development Institute)
- 08
Certified as a venture company
- 11
Selected for the Station C full-cycle support program (Hallym University Startup Support Center)
2026
- 04
Selected for the Regional Innovation Leading Enterprise R&D Program (Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Gangwon Startup Promotion Agency)
- 05
Selected for the Entrepreneurship-Centered University Program (Ministry of SMEs and Startups)
- 05
Launched the SoundCompass
- 06
Selected for the RISE Glocal University 30 Program (Ministry of Education, Gangwon State)
- 07
Obtained digital medical device manufacturing license
Founders
Jihye Han
CEOPh.D.- Ph.D. in Audiology, University of Cincinnati
- Research Professor, Institute of Hearing & Balance Convergence Neuroscience, Hallym University College of Medicine (current)
- Visiting Professor, Dept. of Speech-Language & Audiology Therapy, Daegu Catholic University (former)
- Research Fellow, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (former)
Hyo-Jeong Lee
CTOPh.D.M.D.- M.D., Ph.D., Seoul National University College of Medicine
- Clinical Chief, Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital (current)
- Deputy Director of Research, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital (current)
- Director, Institute of Hearing & Balance Convergence Neuroscience, Hallym University College of Medicine (current)
- Director, Ei Auditory Development Center, Dohun Institute of Digital Medical Innovation, Hallym University Medical Center (current)