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I just returned from a clinical trial visit at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, where the team made significant updates to the listening programs that will provide major improvements to word recognition. I was there from Sunday through Wednesday this week, onsite at Mayo on Monday and Tuesday, and left early Wednesday. I drove both ways, 14 hours each way with a few short stops, and really enjoyed spending time in the Rochester area.
Monday went well, but Tuesday was more difficult. We were testing adjustments not necessarily tailored for me, but for the broader goals of the clinical trial. That can be frustrating, but it’s part of the commitment. I’m a willing guinea pig because this is bigger than me. It’s about contributing to something greater, advancing a breakthrough that could change lives. It’s for humanity.
On my previous visit in early February, the team had introduced new features and listening modes. I ended up discovering several glitches and bugs, one of which temporarily reduced speech recognition for me. But again, that’s part of the process. It’s not about me alone, it’s about making the device better for everyone. This visit allowed the team to address those issues and fine-tune the system for improved performance.
The following morning after I got home, I had a work related Teams call and was able to follow the entire conversation without using captions. The speech recognition with this update is absolutely astounding.
One powerful moment during the trip happened in the hotel. I met a woman and her adult son, who appeared to have special needs. She wore a microphone connected to a portable voice amplifier so he could hear her clearly as they walked. Anything I said to her, she gently repeated into the mic for him. I shared my story and why I was in town, and gave her the Envoy Medical website in case she wanted to learn more. Encounters like that are why I do this. I hope to have thousands more.