How Sound Scouts Was Made
The founding story of Sound Scouts: how Carolyn Mee and Professor Harvey Dillon combined creativity and science to create a clinically validated hearing check for children.
Sound Scouts began as an idea to solve a problem Carolyn Mee knew firsthand. A mother of three and a media producer, Carolyn had taken her boys out of school for clinic-based hearing checks, an experience that felt unnecessarily complicated.
“I remember having to take my boys out of school, I had to take the afternoon off work to take them to a clinic where they went into a small booth, which they both found very foreign and distressing. Their hearing was fine, which was good to know, but it made me think… there must be an easier, more convenient and accessible way to check our children’s hearing.”
A course in digital media introduced Carolyn to the A course in digital media introduced Carolyn to the concept of serious games, which are games designed for a purpose beyond entertainment. She could see the potential immediately. But testing children’s hearing required scientific expertise, and it wasn’t long before she was introduced to a leader in the field: Professor Harvey Dillon.
The science behind Sound Scouts
Professor Harvey Dillon, author of over 250 scientific publications including a widely used textbook on hearing aids, began his career with the idea that “any advances could immediately help people.” As Director of the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) for 17 years, he brought deep expertise in psychoacoustics (the science of how people hear) and in auditory processing disorders in children.
The app had to pass rigorous clinical testing. As Professor Dillon explains:
“The scientific principles allow it to detect a wide range of hearing problems. These include conductive hearing loss, arising from infections or glue ear; sensorineural hearing loss, which is permanent; and central auditory processing disorder, a brain-based hearing issue that results in children not being able to hear in noisy environments, like classrooms.”
Creativity + Science = Innovation
Sound Scouts development began in 2010. Carolyn’s background in children’s television and commercial production equipped her with the skills to engage and entertain children while testing them.
“I do the hearing theory and Carolyn adds the creativity that keeps the children engaged to get the best out of them. I have appreciated her dogged determination to overcome any barriers that get in the way.” — Professor Harvey Dillon
Harvey’s scientific knowledge dictated what to include in a hearing test of the future. Carolyn’s insights as a parent and content creator ensured the app was usable and engaging for the children taking it.
In early 2019, the partnership of Carolyn Mee, Professor Dillon, and Chief Technical Officer Cuauh Moreno launched Sound Scouts as a subsidised service for 4 years in Australia, supported by the Department of Health and Hearing Australia.
The app can be used to check the hearing of children aged four and older, as well as adults including parents and teachers. As a registered medical device, it is used in schools, homes, and clinics across Australia and internationally.
“I’ve enjoyed the combination of applying theory to come up with something practical, that works, and which is then put into practice to help people.” — Professor Harvey Dillon