Xacore Partners With ESSE, Headed by Retired Army Four Star General, to Tackle Military Hearing Loss

BRADENTON, Fla., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Xacore announces today that they have entered into an agreement with Ellis Services and Solutions Enterprises, LLC (ESSE) headed by retired US Army Four-Star General Larry R. Ellis and his group of experienced professionals to tackle the challenge of military hearing loss. This agreement joins Xacore's leading edge noise protection DSP radio headset technology with the strengths of ESSE's experience in marketing and solutions with the military and government.

According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, hearing loss is the number one disability of soldiers returning from war in the Middle East.  The Department of Veteran Affairs reported at the end of 2004, the monthly compensation payments to veterans with hearing loss as their major form of disability represented an annualized cost of some $660 million. The military continues to issue earplugs, as a partial solution.  However, earplugs are generally not worn in combat as soldiers experience difficulty distinguishing hostile acts from environmental noises.  Some of the ear plugs have an "open position" which is designed to help hear sounds better during battle.  Unfortunately, explosions, gun shots and other loud noises which cause instant hearing damage also pass through the "open position".  The Army continues to test other technologies and solutions however, they also have drawbacks says Denise Collins, Director of Marketing.  "In past wars, earplugs were effective for hearing protection, because earplugs reduce noise all together.  In today's war, a soldier needs to be able to hear noises in his surroundings accurately. Other systems on the market return noises at a safe decibel level through a single external microphone system which allows soldiers to hear noises, but they find it difficult to distinguish which direction those noises are coming from.  Xacore's X-59000 uses a four (4) mic external microphone system which allows its DSP's algorithms to calculate directionality with near human ear accuracy.  This system provides the soldier continuous and impulse noise protection at minimum 32dB reduction, situational awareness and radio communications all in one headset."

"Hearing loss has not been brought to the forefront like other protective systems such as body armor, helmets, eye protection and boots. We intend to bring hearing loss to the front and solve the problem that other solutions fell short of resolving" said General Ellis.

The ESSE Xacore partnership will begin immediately and coincide with the Xacore Live Demo Tour launched earlier this month.  The 12,500 miles Live Demo Tour is an on-site live fire demo of Xacore's X-59000 series headset.  Beginning in New York State and going down to Florida and across the US to California, the 2-month tour will visit Army, and Marine Corps bases such as Fort Bragg, Fort Benning, and Fort Polk, Fort Irwin and Camp Pendleton.

About Xacore

Founded in 2003, Xacore is the market leader in DSP headset innovation and its mission is to supply lower-cost high-quality professional grade audio solutions to the LMR market place. As a structured boutique shop, we provide our customers a streamlined experience with direct access to engineering, customer support, logistics and management. Supported by our in-house engineering staff, Xacore's capabilities reach far into the realm of radio communications engineering. From our commercial off-the-shelf ("COTS") products to our engineered solutions, Xacorians are masters of Gerber files, firmware, printed circuit board ("PCB"), analogue, digital, RF and mechanical design.

About ESSE

Ellis Services and Solutions Enterprises (ESSE) occupies a unique position in the world of defense consulting. Located in the Atlanta, Georgia the firm has provided guidance and insightful advice to clients in  government and industry.  

The strength of ESSE lies in its experience and network of productive and experienced associations. The contracting and procurement processes of the Department of Defense and United States Government are cumbersome, and confusing. The team is vastly familiar with the inner workings of the military and the federal government. ESSE knows how to work hard for its clients and can negotiate the halls of Government and the world of business with ease.

SOURCE Xacore