Digital, touch screen kiosks are offering free hearing tests at stores owned by audiology retail chain Bay Audio.

The kiosks were developed for Bay Audio by Brisbane touch screen specialist, Yeahpoint.

They provide a five-minute test for customers to find if they need to undergo further tests with a qualified audiologist.

Bay Audio says an estimated one in six Australians suffer from some kind of hearing loss, with about half of all hearing impaired people aged under 65. But many younger people are too intimidated to book a hearing test with a qualified clinician because they associate hearing loss with old age.

The Yeahpoint touch screens offer customers an interactive test, as well as a print-out of results, in a retail environment, to enable people to fit the test in with their active lifestyle.

Bay Audio Australian general manager Andrew Campbell said hearing loss could be extremely isolating and the straightforward nature of touch screen tests had struck a chord with the busy baby boomer generation and younger workers who may not have time to book a hearing test.

“By introducing the hearing tests platform to our stores we are removing the stigma often associated with hearing loss by providing an unintimidating, quick way for clients to see if they have a hearing problem,” Campbell said.

“The touch screens are a quick way for clients to see whether they need to undergo a full, diagnostic test with a qualified clinician.

Now, when a client books in for an appointment we know they have a problem and we can act quickly.”

Yeahpoint developed the first touch screen for Bay Audio in February, followed by a full roll out of the screens in Bay Audio stores in April.

Yeahpoint initially provided 10 screens to Bay Audio, but the tests proved so popular that demand increased. There are now 85 touch screen hearing tests in Australian Bay Audio stores, with plans to roll out more Yeahpoint screens as Bay Audio expands across Australia and into South-East Asia, including Hong Kong and Singapore.

Yeahpoint CEO John Anderson said digital technology was being used to revolutionise the hearing industry, with the new touch screen tests making it much easier for people concerned about their hearing to see if they needed to seek professional treatment.

Anderson said the digital technology behind the Bay Audio hearing tests used the same reliable platform that Yeahpoint also uses to screen in-store music video clips in Singapore, provide information about pet food in Australian pet stores and financial services advice internationally.

Anderson said the hearing tests would be adapted to suit each region, so a customer in New Zealand would hear a Kiwi accent, and so on.