Handset Manufacturers HearAngel® Handset Manufacturers What you need to know about IEC/UL/EN62368-1 2018 Safety Standard The hearing safeguarding app for headphone users

What is the problem? Our ears are delicate, however it is not obvious when we are doing them harm Most of us are aware that exposure to very loud sounds damages our hearing What is less well known is that large sound doses also destroy our hearing Biggest source of large sound doses for most people is from the use of headphones Exponential growth in digital content is driving ever increasing headphone use 68% of headphone users are already aware of dangers

Background to the new standard Origin of standard is United Nations (UN) World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 1.1 billion people at risk of hearing loss report ( https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/ear-care/en/ ) in February 2015 WHO worked with International Telecommunications Union (ITU) who have published recommendations for safe listening practice, ITU-T H870 201808 ( https://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-H.870-201808-I ). In November 2018 European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), announced new safety standard EN62368-1: 2018 which will be adopted on 20th December 2020 in Europe and the USA and in other territories later. The standard moves the regulation of acoustic safety towards the WHO and ITU’s objectives and recommends manufacturers move to dose-monitoring to protect users from hearing damage as soon as possible.​​

In 2 years all mobile phone handsets will have to have safeguarding features In November 2018 the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), announced that the EN62368-1 2018 standard will come into force on 20th December 2020 In addition this standard has been adopted by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Underwriters Laboratory (UL) from that date The audio element of the standard covers mobile phone handsets It gives mobile phone handset manufacturers a choice to provide either: Option 1. A user warning at a proscribed volume setting on the handset Or Option 2. Software to calculate the users sound dose from headphones and present them with information and messages, along with automatic protection when they choose

Option 1. explained - Warning at a proscribed volume setting For many years all smartphones supplied in Europe have had the warning below triggered by the volume setting: ‘Listening at high volume for a long time may damage your hearing. Tap OK to allow the volume to be increased above the safe level’ This warning is based only on the volume setting It doesn’t take any account of the users listening period or the energy of their content If the warning is adhered to, content is inaudible in many common listening situations The warnings are therefore widely ignored

Option 2. explained – Sound dose based information, messaging and protection Providing users with relevant, individual information is understood to change their behaviour Standard requires the individual’s sound dose from headphones is monitored When proscribed and/or user defined sound dose levels are reached the user is given information so they can make informed decisions. e.g. The user is provided with information on how long they can listen at the current level to the current material. They are then able to plan their listening The user may also choose dose based automatic protection which will gradually intervene should they be in danger of exceeding the recommended sound dose The standard also includes enhanced protection for children

HearAngel® is a proven low risk solution HearAngel® is ready to license to handset manufacturers A consumer app developed following 8 years experience delivering hearing safeguarding technologies to professional headphone users including The BBC HearAngel® meets 95% of IEC/UL/EN62368-1 2018 requirement Variances are readily accommodated https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAIDBsgDbkM&t=39s

Who are HearAngel®? HearAngel® is the consumer brand of LimitEar Ltd, a UK technology company founded 8 years ago LimitEar is owned by its shareholders, the directors own the majority The company has been granted and applied for a number of international patents The company is advised by Professor Tony Wright, Emeritus Professor of Otolaryngology at University College London Contact Stephen Wheatley, sw@hearangel.com +44 7836 690514

Handset Manufacturers HearAngel® Handset Manufacturers What you need to know about IEC/UL/EN62368-1 2018 Safety Standard The hearing safeguarding app for headphone users