Kikumore, a Hearing Training Service to Enhance the Brain's Listening Ability, Launches Full Service

Neumo Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Ryusei Wakabayashi; hereinafter 'Neumo') announces the full launch of Kikumore, a hearing training service designed to enhance the brain's listening ability.

Kikumore is a training service that focuses not on the ears themselves, but on the brain's auditory processing, addressing hearing difficulties associated with aging and other factors. By leveraging smartphones, users can easily engage in game-like training exercises at home to improve auditory functions essential for understanding speech.

Official Kikumore website: https://kikumore.net/

Background

Hearing loss is now considered one of the greatest risk factors for dementia, with studies suggesting it can increase the risk by up to fivefold. As the population ages, more people are experiencing hearing difficulties. However, these issues are often perceived as purely 'ear problems' or 'aging issues,' leading to solutions centered on hearing aids. Yet, challenges such as difficulty understanding conversations in daily life or in noisy environments—where 'sounds are heard but words are not understood'—remain widespread and are not fully addressed by conventional methods.

Neumo, drawing on neuroscience research, recognizes that hearing involves not just the ears but also the brain’s ability to process speech. After eight years of research and development, the company has created Kikumore, a training service designed to strengthen the brain's listening ability.

Can you hear the words, even if you hear the sound?

First, please play the following audio.

Did you manage to hear the three numbers?

In fact, many age-related hearing difficulties involve being able to hear sounds but not understand speech. This is especially common in environments with multiple background sounds, such as restaurants, train stations, or family gatherings, where understanding conversation becomes difficult.

Hearing challenges are not only about the volume of sound entering the ear but are deeply tied to the brain’s ability to identify sounds and process them into meaningful words.

Kikumore is a 'brain training for the ears' service that targets this 'brain’s listening ability.' Through training developed based on neuroscience research, it aims to make conversations easier to understand, even in noisy environments.

Key Features of Kikumore

1. Auditory Training to Strengthen the Brain's Listening Ability

Kikumore uses game-like exercises that train the neural pathways and brain functions involved in hearing.

2. Accessible via Smartphone Only

No special equipment is required—Kikumore is accessible solely through smartphones. Designed for ease of continued use at home, it features a simple interface suitable even for senior users.

3. Scientific Validation

Neumo is advancing scientific validation through joint research with Keio University Hospital, ensuring service development is grounded in scientific evidence.

4. Average 3.1 dB Improvement in Speech Understanding in Noisy Environments

Actual training results show an average improvement of 3.1 dB in the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio for speech understanding in noisy environments. Additionally, about half of users reported being able to hear the TV clearly even at lower volumes after training. (N=16)
This indicates improved ability to understand speech in noisy settings and highlights Kikumore as a promising new option for enhancing 'listening ability' itself.

*Note: This service is not a medical device. Results are based on internal company data, and individual results may vary.

User Testimonials

- Even with a hearing aid, I struggled to follow group conversations and often spent time alone reading quietly. Since using Kikumore, I’ve become more positive and now want to spend time with others. (82-year-old female)

- I used to find large meetings increasingly difficult to follow, and they became something I feared. After starting Kikumore training, my concentration improved, and I no longer fear conversations with others. (65-year-old female)

- My mother, who has hearing loss, kept turning up the TV volume and couldn’t get used to hearing aids, nearly giving up. After learning about this training, I recommended it to her. Since starting Kikumore, she has become more positive, and I’m truly happy. (41-year-old male)

Future Outlook

The motivation behind Kikumore’s development stems from a desire to create a society where people can continue to believe in their potential as they age.

As people grow older, they may find themselves unable to do things they once could, or feel anxious about trying new things. These experiences can accumulate, leading to diminished confidence and social withdrawal.

Kikumore is a 'brain training for the ears' service designed for such individuals. We believe that small, incremental improvements—being able to do a little more today than yesterday, and even more tomorrow—can rebuild confidence and bring hope to daily life.

In fact, some users have regained confidence through Kikumore and restarted preparation for certification exams they had previously given up on. Our true goal is not merely improving function or quality of life. We aim to increase the number of people who, through Kikumore, regain a positive mindset and feel inspired to 'meet people' or 'try something new.'

Moving forward, we will continue to provide opportunities for people of all ages to experience the joy of challenge and connection through 'brain training for the ears,' bringing small hopes into the lives of many.

In Japan, which is facing a super-aging society, we hope to reduce the number of people who give up on their potential due to age.

Service Overview

Service Name: Kikumore
Launch: Full service now available
Compatible Devices: iPhone / Android
Pricing: From 6,600 JPY/month (tax included)
Service Website: https://kikumore.net/

■ About Kikumore

Kikumore is a hearing training service that focuses on the 'brain' rather than the 'ears' to enhance the brain’s listening ability. While traditional hearing aids amplify sound to improve hearing, Kikumore addresses challenges like 'hearing sounds but not understanding words' by targeting the brain’s processing functions.

Through smartphone-based training, it supports users in improving their 'listening ability' naturally within daily life. It offers a new option for difficulties with speech understanding that hearing aids alone cannot fully resolve.

■ Company Overview

Neumo Inc. aims to realize a society where people regain their listening ability and reconnect with others. The company develops products by integrating neuroscience and technology.

Recognizing that sound only becomes meaningful after being processed by the brain—not just received by the ears—Neumo is pioneering a new approach: training the brain’s listening ability, not the ears.

Company Name: Neumo Inc.
Representative: CEO Ryusei Wakabayashi
Headquarters: 1-11-19 Ebisu-minami, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Founded: August 21, 2017
Business: Development and provision of Kikumore, a hearing training service based on neuroscience

URL: https://neumo.jp/
Service Website: https://kikumore.net/