Signia announces the general availability of its latest hearing aid, Signia Active X, that “enhances human performance by delivering breakthrough signal processing technology for optimised hearing in noise.” Its earbud form factor helps allow wearers to “pop them in and out as needed for those with normal hearing but who may have difficulty hearing in certain environments,” according to the company. It can also be worn all day for individuals with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
Signia Active’s earbud design helps ensure “better hearing without the stigma, while its portable rechargeability and Bluetooth connectivity enable wearers to remain connected and perform their best all day long.”
“Signia Active isn’t just a new product. It’s an entirely new category of hearing device that allows our hearing care professionals to reach a new, untapped, and unserved category of wearer,” said Dr Tish Ramirez, vice president of professional relations and product management. “Consumers want hearing aids that are disguised as earbuds – that improve their hearing without the stigma. Signia Active delivers on this need by providing users with a device that looks as good as it performs.”
Dr Tish Ramirez, vice president of professional relations and product management, Signia
Research studies show that between 12% and 20% of adults with normal audiogram thresholds self-report hearing difficulties, suggesting that these individuals could benefit from a boost in their hearing performance.[1-4] Signia Active features “customised technology with advanced hearing support in the functional design of an earbud to attract individuals who might not otherwise wear hearing aids.”
Whether walking in a crowded street, working in an open-plan office, or dining in a busy restaurant, high-levels of ambient noise make holding conversations a significant challenge – even for those with mild hearing loss. Signia Active addresses these challenges with the “true-to-life sound of Signia Xperience technology and its Dynamic Soundscape Processing, which helps deliver enhanced sound and speech clarity in every situation, even when moving,” according to the company.
Signia Active also features a lithium-ion rechargeable battery; a portable charging case; Qi charging technology; and Bluetooth connectivity. Furthermore, its ClickSleeves 2.0 technology helps enable “a quick fit while ensuring the hearing aids remain firmly and comfortably in place.”
The new hearing aids from Signia are available in two models: Signia Active and Signia Active Pro. Signia Active is a starter option, designed for occasional use by those in need of a hearing edge in noisy situations, while Signia Active Pro is for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. Both models are available in the colour combinations of White and Rose Gold, Black and Silver, or All-Black.
“Signia has established a reputation for developing breakthrough products that deliver best-in-class performance yet also tap into new, unaddressed patient markets,” said Signia President Mike O’Neil. “Signia Active is yet another example of a market-expanding product from Signia, and we look forward to working with our hearing care professional partners to grow their businesses through our pioneering hearing devices.”
The Signia app: Modern care around the clock at the tap of a finger
Through the Signia app (iOS and Android), wearers have access to hearing aid controls, streaming capabilities with multiple devices, tinnitus therapy, Signia Telecare for remote care support, the new Face Mask Mode for better speech understanding through masks, and much more.
The app also includes the Signia Assistant, which “leverages artificial intelligence to continuously optimise the performance of the device by learning in real time the wearer’s individual preferences, for the most personalised hearing experience possible.”
“The most powerful products in history are those that meet a specific, unaddressed consumer need. Rather than fight over an existing share, they create entirely new categories of consumers that grow the overall size of the market,” said Ramirez.
“Signia Active is a solution for those who have long fought the adoption of hearing aids, but know that they need them. Signia Active is a breakthrough device that shatters the traditional definition of a hearing aid to create a new category of device that enables increased patient conversion and attracts entirely new demographics of wearers.”
https://honiton-hearing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Honiton-hearing-new-hearing-aids-.jpeg711610adminhttps://honitonnew.leecurran.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/honitonhearinglogo.pngadmin2021-04-04 09:51:312021-04-04 09:51:31Signia Releases Active X Hearing Aid
Researcher Designs Vibrating Glove for Deaf Individuals
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Artem Brazhnikov, a master student of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy, and Transport of Samara Polytech, a Russian technical university, attempted to help restore hearing function with the help of a vibrating glove he designed. A press release announcing the invention appears on the EurekAlert website.
Initially, Artem designed a joystick glove to be able to play computer games one-handed. He then improved the device, turning it into an unusual hearing aid. To make the joystick glove into the vibro-glove, he removed the finger-position sensors, provided the glove with tactile feedback modules (vibration motors), and converted the electronic control unit from a game controller into an audio signal spectrum analyzer.
“When a person loses his hearing, his other senses become more acute. The sensory substitution occurs: the brain compensates the lack of information from one sense organ at the expense of others,” said Artem. “A vibrating glove is a re-translator that converts sounds into tactile sensations.”
A glove microphone amplifies the audio signal and transmits it to a spectrum analyzer that splits the audio range into separate frequency bands. Each tactile module corresponds to one sound strip. The strength of a tactile stimulation is proportional to the amplitude of sound vibrations in the corresponding frequency band. This process is somewhat similar to playing a keyboard.
“For example, a piano has many keys, pressing which (tactile stimulation) generates a certain note, that is, a sound vibration of a certain frequency,” Artem explained. “Now imagine that there is an instrument that performs the opposite operation, that is, catches notes (sound vibrations) and converts them into keystrokes (tactile stimulation). A person playing such an instrument does not hear the sounds it makes, but feels how the piano itself presses the keys. So a vibrating glove is a piano, but only working vice versa.”
Source: EurekAlert!, Samara Polytech
Image:EurekAlert!, Samara Polytech
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Signia announced the launch of its newest lineup of Motion Charge&Go X hearing aids, which includes the Motion Charge&Go SP X – said to be the “first-ever rechargeable super power hearing aid that delivers uncompromised hearing with up to 61 hours of run-time per charge.” The Motion Charge&Go SP X, and its rechargeability, helps “ensure that even individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss can enhance their human performance through improved hearing in every situation.”
This joins two other all-new Motion hearing aids – Motion Charge&Go P X and Motion Charge&Go X – to complete Signia’s latest lineup of Motion Charge&Go behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing solutions that are said to address “all levels of hearing loss.”
“Those with moderate to severe hearing loss depend heavily on their hearing aids – and not just for catching the total at the grocery checkout line or the specials at a restaurant, but for the real connections and sounds that give life meaning,” said Dr Tish Ramirez, Signia’s Vice President of Professional Relations and Product Management. “Signia Motion X delivers industry-best rechargeability and connectivity to ensure wearers stay better connected to their world without any limitations. Motion X hearing aids don’t just provide better hearing, they help provide a better life.”
Motion Charge&Go SP X is said to have up to 61 hours per charge, according to Signia, and is “the world’s most powerful rechargeable hearing aid.” The Motion Charge&Go P X offers up to 30 hours per charge, while the Motion Charge&Go X offers up to 24 hours per charge.
Signia Motion Charge&Go X: A new era in hearing technology
Signa’s “first-of-its-kind acoustic-motion sensor technology” is said to recognize one’s movements and adjusts sounds accordingly to ensure hearing in any situation is as precise and personalized as possible. Signia’s world’s-first OVP is a cutting-edge technology that processes the wearer’s voice separately from other sounds, leading to higher user satisfaction with the sound of their own voice.[1]
The Signia app provides access to hearing aid controls, streaming capabilities, tinnitus therapy, the Signia Assistant for a more personalized listening experience, and 24/7 digital support, Signia Telecare for remote care support, Signia Face Mask Mode for better speech understanding through masks, and much more.
Furthermore, the Xperience fitting (XFit) strategy helps offer a choice between more linear and more compressive gain settings for those with moderate-to-profound hearing loss. With the Dynamic Soundscape Processing slider, the wearer can “easily find a preferred balance of sound for best performance.” Additionally, the AI-based Signia Assistant helps allow the wearer to be more involved in actively shaping the sound quality of their own hearing aid.
All three models of Motion Charge&Go X offer Li-ion charging, Bluetooth connectivity, and an optional telecoil. They are available in all performance levels and can be ordered with an optional charger upgrade that includes a UV Dry&Clean function.
“Signia has invested heavily in developing first-of-its-kind, industry-leading technologies – across rechargeability, connectivity, speech intelligibility, and more,” said Ramirez. “However, this investment has been made with the sole aim of creating hearing solutions that prove people don’t have to be limited by their hearing loss – and that with one’s hearing restored, there’s nothing holding them back from performing their best.”
https://honiton-hearing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Honiton-hearing-Devon.jpg480640adminhttps://honitonnew.leecurran.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/honitonhearinglogo.pngadmin2021-03-17 17:57:072021-03-17 17:57:07Signia Launches Motion X Hearing Aids
Widex Inc announced that it has been recognized by Digital Trends Media Group with a Tech for Change Award at CES 2021 for its WIDEX MOMENT hearing aids. Recipients were selected based on innovations intended to make the world a better place, as displayed during CES.
WIDEX MOMENT was selected for having pioneered “the first digital hearing aid to incorporate dual artificial intelligence engines to improve real-time listening,” according to the company’s announcement. Furthermore, the WIDEX MOMENT is said to leverage ZeroDelay technology to “reduce the standard sound delay from 7-10 milliseconds seconds to just 0.5 milliseconds to give people with hearing loss the most natural hearing experience available.”
“Hearing aids have historically delivered a ‘tinny’, tube-like sound due to the delay in digital sound processing; as the leader in natural sound, Widex could not stand for this,” said Søren Hvidberg Nielsen, President of Widex US. “Our engineers have worked tirelessly for five years to overcome this technical challenge, and with our breakthrough WIDEX MOMENT hearing aids we’ve now succeeded.”
Continued Nielsen, “These intelligent devices go far beyond simply boosting speech perception, offering wearers a true-to-life sound experience that’s been elusive until now. We are honored that Digital Trends Media Group recognized WIDEX MOMENT as an innovative, class-leading wearable and wellness device designed to make the world a better place through natural sound for all.”
Widex has pioneered the use of artificial intelligence to create a more personalized sound experience, which in turn leads to higher wearer acceptance and usage. WIDEX MOMENT leverages SoundSense Learn, an AI-based technology, to personalize hearing aid settings in two ways.
First, WIDEX MOMENT learns how users prefer to hear their surroundings by analyzing settings and guiding them through a series of A-B comparisons. Second, an AI-algorithm draws from millions of user settings stored in the cloud to help personalize the listening experience, according to the company.
Furthermore, WIDEX MOMENT also includes the PureSound ZeroDelay technology, a “parallel processing path that all but eliminates latency, resulting in a more natural sound without the ‘tinny’ distortions associated with other hearing aids.”
The WIDEX MOMENT is available now. Visit https://www.widex.com/en-us to find a hearing care provider in your area.
Source: Widex
Images: Widex
https://honiton-hearing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Honiton-hearing-near-Exeter-.png630679adminhttps://honitonnew.leecurran.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/honitonhearinglogo.pngadmin2021-03-08 18:15:302021-03-08 18:15:30Widex Moment Receives Tech for Change Award
By Laura Winther Balling, PhD, Oliver Townend, BSc, and Dana Helmink, AuD
Sound quality plays a key feature for overall hearing aid satisfaction as well as in everyday moments of real-life hearing. A large international survey of hearing aid users confirms the importance of sound quality, showing higher satisfaction with the WIDEX MOMENT™ hearing aids for overall sound quality, for specific situations of real-life use and for hearing aid users’ ability to participate in daily life.
As one of the major global hearing aid manufacturers, Widex has a long history of focusing on sound quality, designing all signal processing with the aim of achieving the best and most natural sound quality possible. For example, True Input Technology, with a linear transfer function up to 113 dB SPL and a linear input dynamic range of 108 dB SPL, was groundbreaking when launched,1 as was Variable Speed Compression, which offers the benefits of both slow and fast-acting compression.2
Most recently, WIDEX MOMENT™ launched with the focus on sound quality expressed in two main features:
TruAcoustics™ is an intelligent algorithm by which the acoustics in the individual ear canal is integrated in the parameter settings of the hearing aid, so the output at the eardrum is exactly right for the individual ear canal with the specific earware choice.3
Widex PureSound™ drastically reduces hearing aid delay and eliminates the delay-based distortions which are characteristic of other digital hearing aids.4
Innovations like these improve the sound quality in clearly audible ways and result in sound quality preferences in studies, such as the one reported by Balling et al.4 However, it is also an important assumption of the Widex design philosophy that good sound is not an isolated quality but a means to achieving higher hearing aid satisfaction across many situations in real life. With this broader view of sound quality, it is arguably the most important parameter for hearing aid satisfaction, along with speech understanding (especially in noise).
For these reasons, the survey reported below focused on satisfaction with sound quality in itself, as well as the experience in diverse situations of real-life hearing with Widex MOMENT hearing aid.
Survey Method
Our survey included 101 experienced hearing aid users recruited at local hearing clinics in 7 countries (US, Canada, China, Germany, France, Portugal, UK). They all wore the MOMENT mRIC R D rechargeable hearing aids and rated their satisfaction with them in comparison to their own existing hearing aids, which were from all major brands. Respondents were 60% male with a median age of 66 years (range 18-88). Close to half (45%) were work active, and they had a median of 6 years’ hearing aid experience (range 1-59 years).
Respondents fell into two groups: 39 of them had mild-to-moderate hearing losses going from 40 dBHL at low frequencies to 70 dBHL at high and had as their primary program PureSound™, which is particularly suitable for open fits and milder losses. The other 62 respondents had hearing losses up to 80 dB HL across frequencies (the mRIC M-receiver fitting range) and were fitted with the Universal program as their primary program. The MOMENT hearing aids were fitted with the ear tip recommended in the Compass GPS fitting software.
The survey used a cross-over design where respondents started a 7-week survey period by rating their satisfaction with their own existing hearing aids before being fitted with the MOMENT hearing aids and wearing them for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks, they rated their satisfaction with the MOMENT devices, before switching back to their own hearing aids, wearing those for 2 weeks and rating them at Week 6. For the final 2 weeks of the survey, respondents wore MOMENT and filled in a final set of questions about those at Week 7. This resulted in two ratings for own hearing aids (at Weeks 0 and 5) and two for MOMENT (at Weeks 3 and 7).
The questionnaires were filled in online using SMART-TRIAL software, using a format inspired by the MarkeTrak surveys,5 where respondents rate their satisfaction with their hearing aids on a 7-point scale ranging from “Very dissatisfied” (a rating of 1) to ‘Very satisfied’ (a rating of 7). Following the MarkeTrak approach, respondents who gave ratings in the top-3 satisfaction categories may be classified together as being “satisfied.” We asked questions about satisfaction both in general and in specific real-life situations.
The responses show that people are reasonably satisfied with their own hearing aids at the beginning of the survey period, but once they try the MOMENT hearing aids, their ratings of their own hearing aids in many cases become significantly lower. This in itself is evidence in favor of the MOMENT devices. However, the more interesting direct comparison is between the ratings of own hearing aids in Week 5 and MOMENT in Week 7, where respondents have had the most time to form an opinion about the new hearing aids.
We also estimated the age of the respondents’ own hearing aids based on the launch date of the device. Interestingly, we found no significant effects of this variable, indicating that the MOMENT advantages that we observe throughout are not simply explained by the contrast between older own hearing aids and new MOMENT devices, but by a genuine preference for the MOMENT sound.
Unless otherwise indicated, statistical testing of results was done using mixed-effects models that take into account the crucial fact that we have multiple responses per person. The significance levels for the relevant contrasts between own and MOMENT hearing aids are all below 0.0001, which means that potential concerns about repeated testing are unfounded.
Sound Quality Across Situations
As we would expect given the Widex design focus, the responses show a solid sound quality advantage for the MOMENT hearing aids, with significantly higher satisfaction for MOMENT than for own hearing aids (p < 0.0001). Looking at the average ratings plotted in the left panel of Figure 1, there is a 1-point advantage for MOMENT, with the average rating “Satisfied” for MOMENT and “Somewhat satisfied” for own hearing aids. Examining the distribution of answers in the right panel of Figure 1, we see many more “Very satisfied” and “Satisfied” MOMENT users. In total, considering the top-3 satisfaction categories, 91% of respondents are satisfied with the MOMENT sound quality.
Figure 1. Ratings of satisfaction with sound quality. The left panel shows mean ratings of satisfaction with sound quality as filled circles, with the whiskers representing ±1 standard deviation (SD) around the mean. The right plot shows ratings of own hearing aids in Week 5 and of MOMENT hearing aids in Week 7 of the survey.
An intriguing question is which aspects of sound and hearing aid use influence these high-satisfaction sound quality ratings. This is a complex issue that this survey cannot fully address, but it is informative to look at which other questions are correlated with sound quality satisfaction. In Table 1, such correlations are listed for the ratings of MOMENT at the end of the survey period. They are all strong correlations ranging between 0.522 to 0.698, and although there is some variation between individual situations, the correlations are all highly significant and of similar size. These correlations do not, of course, indicate causation but do suggest that sound quality plays a similar role across different situations.
Table 1. Spearman Rho correlations between sound quality satisfaction and satisfaction in specific situations for WIDEX MOMENT. (Notations: *** indicates significance at the p<0.001 level; a) Speech-in-noise situations; b) Outdoor situations; c) Listening through devices.
Another way of assessing the impact of sound quality on everyday satisfaction with hearing aids is analyzing the average satisfaction across the specific situations listed in Table 1 (excepting satisfaction with soft and loud sounds, which are not specific situations). A regression model shows that satisfaction with sound quality is a highly significant predictor of mean satisfaction across situations, accounting for more than 50% of the variance in satisfaction across situations (R2 = 0.51).
Sound Quality and Naturalness
In addition to the different listening situations, Table 1 also lists respondents’ agreement with the statement “I find that the sound is natural with the MOMENT hearing aids” on a 7-point scale. This shows one of the highest correlations with sound quality satisfaction, which means that those hearing aid wearers who are highly satisfied with the sound quality also perceive the sound as more natural.
In addition, naturalness ratings show a very similar pattern across weeks to sound quality satisfaction, as illustrated in Figure 2. Again, we see approximately a 1-point difference between the ratings of own and MOMENT hearing aids, and many more who “Agree” or “Strongly agree” that the sound of MOMENT is natural.
Figure 2. Ratings of naturalness of sound, with the left panel showing mean ratings per week and the right panel showing ratings for own hearing aids in Week 5 and for MOMENT in Week 7.
Satisfaction in Everyday Situations
As seen in Table 1, the survey included questions on a wide range of everyday situations. In Figure 3, these are grouped into four different more general categories, showing the distribution of ratings in Week 5 (own hearing aids) and Week 7 (MOMENT hearing aids).
Figure 3. Histograms showing distribution of ratings in Weeks 5 (own hearing aids) and 7 (MOMENT hearing aids).
The top-left panel shows the satisfaction with conversations in quiet, assessed by a single question. Level of satisfaction is generally high, as we would expect for this relatively easy listening environment. However, although the baseline is already high, the MOMENT ratings are still higher, with the most frequent response being “Very satisfied” and the difference to own hearing aids being highly significant (p < 0.0001).
Speech-in-noise ratings are shown in the top-right panel, based on a mean across questions on satisfaction in restaurants and with conversations in noise and during transport. These tend to be difficult situations for hearing aid users, which is also clear if we compare the general level of satisfaction with speech in quiet. This makes the significant advantage for MOMENT (p < 0.0001) all the more noteworthy: the most frequent mean rating for these questions is clearly in the “Satisfied” category for MOMENT, whereas ratings for own hearing aids are more spread out, with “Somewhat dissatisfied” as the most frequent. If we compare the own-vs-MOMENT hearing aid ratings per respondent, five times as many respondents are more satisfied with the MOMENT hearing aids compared with their own: 74% of respondents are more satisfied with MOMENT, 12% more satisfied with their own, and the remaining 14% give the same ratings to both.
The bottom left panel illustrates mean ratings in outdoor situations, again with a markedly differently distribution of ratings for own and MOMENT hearing aids (p < 0.0001). Part of the explanation for the MOMENT advantage could be that respondents experience the sound of MOMENT as more natural, something that is likely to play a larger role outdoors.
The final panel of Figure 3 represents the frequent listening situations where sound comes from a device, with TV likely being the most frequent for most people, but also telephone and music. As for conversations in quiet, the general level of satisfaction is higher here than for more difficult listening situations, but the MOMENT advantage remains, with a significant difference to own hearing aids (p < 0.0001). Collectively, the four types of situations illustrated in Figure 3 give a comprehensive view of the everyday lives of hearing aid users, and across all these situations MOMENT shows a solid advantage.
Participation in Daily Life
A common problem for people with hearing loss, reported both scientifically6,7 and by hearing aid users and their relatives to HCPs all over the world, is the difficulty of participating in everyday life. Therefore, the survey included a question inspired by the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA)8: “How satisfied are you with your ability to participate effortlessly in everyday life with [your own hearing aids/the WIDEX MOMENT hearing aids]?” The ratings for this question are shown in Figure 4, where both plots illustrate a similar 1-point MOMENT advantage that was also seen previously (p < 0.0001). An interesting statistic is how many people are satisfied (in the top-3 categories) with their ability to participate in everyday life; this number is 69% for own hearing aids but 90% for MOMENT. Conversely, only 6% of respondents indicate dissatisfaction with participation when wearing MOMENT, while the corresponding number is 20% for own hearing aids, in spite of the fact that the MOMENT devices are new to the respondents and they cannot be expected to be completely habituated to them yet.
Figure 4. Ratings of ability to participate in everyday life, with the left panel showing mean ratings per week and the right panel showing ratings for own hearing aids in Week 5 and for MOMENT in Week 7.
Overall Satisfaction
Finally, a question about overall satisfaction examines how all these different elements of real-life hearing come together in the respondents’ entire experience of wearing the MOMENT hearing aids, compared with their own. The responses to this question were tested in the same way as previous results, showing significantly higher ratings (p < 0.0001) for MOMENT than own hearing aids. The left panel in Figure 5 is a particularly clear example that respondents’ ratings of their own hearing aids change when they have tried MOMENT, as evidenced by the lower ratings in Week 5 compared to Week 0. More generally, Figure 5 confirms the MOMENT advantage that has also been clear in the more detailed questions, with the most frequent overall response to the MOMENT hearing aids being “Very satisfied.”
Figure 5. Ratings of overall satisfaction, with the left panel showing mean ratings per week and the right panel showing ratings for own hearing aids in Week 5 and for MOMENT in Week 7.
The Importance of Sound Quality in Real Life Hearing Aid Use
https://honiton-hearing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Widex-Hearing-aids-Honiton-Devon.png412412adminhttps://honitonnew.leecurran.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/honitonhearinglogo.pngadmin2021-03-03 10:30:222021-03-03 10:30:22Widex Moment
Phonak announced the launch of the second generation of Roger Focus, the ear-level receiver that allows “children, teens, and adults to hear a speaker’s voice via any Roger microphone.” Research has shown that speech recognition in noise is significantly improved for children with unilateral hearing loss 1,2, autism spectrum disorder 3,4 , and auditory processing disorder 5 when using Phonak remote microphone technologies like Roger Focus II compared to no technology.
Potential applications for Roger Focus II include:
Unilateral hearing loss (UHL) UHL affects 1-3% of school children 6,7 and left untreated, can impact a child’s behavior, social engagement, and anxiety levels.8-10 Emerging research shows that when using Roger Focus II, children with UHL have 53 percentage-points better speech understanding in noise at five meters distance compared to their normal hearing peers and even show significant improvement in quiet environments compared to no technology.11
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) Some children on the autism spectrum with normal hearing have “functional hearing loss,” which is loosely defined as a hearing loss with no natural or physiological cause.12 In other words, these children have impaired auditory filtering that makes it difficult to hear, function, and complete tasks in the presence of background noise.8 Parents reported improved listening in children with ASD and teachers reported that classroom attentiveness, behavior, and listening improved in children with ASD when using Phonak remote microphone technology like Roger Focus II. 13-15
Auditory processing disorder (APD)
Children with APD may also experience functional hearing loss despite normal hearing and may have difficulties with spatial sound processing and word discrimination. This can result in poorer behavior, attention, and concentration7 while leading to negative psychosocial effects like social withdrawal, difficulty with interpersonal relationships, and increased anxiety.16 Speech understanding in noise is improved significantly in children with APD when using Phonak remote microphone technology like Roger Focus II compared to no technology, according to Phonak. Meanwhile, students report improvement in anxiety, depression, and interpersonal relationships.
“Roger Focus II was developed to help children overcome the challenges of hearing over distance and in background noise so that they can focus on what matters,” said Angela Pelosi, director of global audiology at Phonak. “As a leading innovator of world-class pediatric hearing solutions, it’s critically important that we provide children with unilateral or functional hearing loss the confidence that they can fully participate in everyday activities—and the Roger Focus II does just that.”
The new Roger Focus II is available in a new lithium-ion rechargeable option or a traditional zinc-air battery featuring a “tamper-proof” battery door. According to Phonak, it received an IP68-rating for water and dust resistance and has new coupling options to fit even smaller ears than its predecessor. The rechargeable version comes in ten assorted colors and offers up to 20 hours of battery life on a full charge.
Roger Focus II is intended for children over three years old and is available to order today via licensed hearing care professionals in the US and other select markets.
https://honiton-hearing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Phonak-hearing-aids-Devon.png600600adminhttps://honitonnew.leecurran.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/honitonhearinglogo.pngadmin2021-02-23 10:59:082021-02-23 10:59:08Phonak Launches Roger II Focus Ear-Level Receiver
Phonak, a global provider of hearing solutions, announced Naída Paradise, the power hearing aid that “gives people with severe-to- profound hearing loss the power, sound quality, and wireless connectivity they need to connect with everything around them.” Now in its seventh generation, Naída Paradise is said to be “14% smaller, 27% lighter1, and further improves upon the hearing performance that wearers expect from Phonak.” This includes “powerful sound, industry-leading connectivity, and soon a new custom program memory feature with the new myPhonak 5.0 app.”
Phonak Naida Paradise and Roger On
Naída Paradise features a powerful double receiver that delivers up to 141 dB of peak gain in the UP model and up to 130 dB in the rechargeable model, according to Phonak. It’s powered by the new PRISM sound processing chip and features AutoSense OS 4.0 for “a host of premium features that work together seamlessly.” For example, the hearing aids can “automatically enhance soft speech in quiet places or reduce noise in loud environments.” A built-in accelerometer detects movement and automatically steers the microphones to improve listening on-the-go.2
Phonak Naida Paradise
Naída Paradise helps eliminate connectivity barriers that previously existed for consumers who needed more power. With Phonak universal connectivity, wearers can wirelessly stream audio directly into both hearing aids from virtually any smartphone, TV, laptop, tablet, eBook, and more. Phonak Paradise technology helps allow two active Bluetooth connections at the same time, so wearers can stay connected to their smartphone and their video chat without having to manually switch back and forth.
In addition to universal Bluetooth connectivity, Naída Paradise hearing aids are also equipped with RogerDirect. This means wearers can also receive the Roger remote microphone signal with no additional accessory required. Launched in 2013, Roger™ technology is “proven to boost hearing performance in loud noise and over distance.” In fact, hearing aid wearers who receive the Roger signal have better speech understanding in noise and over distance than people with normal hearing.3 Some Roger microphones and receivers have also been shown to help users understand up to 61% more speech in a group conversation in 75dBA of noise than using hearing aids alone.4
Universal Bluetooth connectivity coupled with on-board microphones means Naída Paradise wearers can use their hearing aids as wireless headsets for hands-free calls. A new Tap Control2 feature allows users to double tap on their ear to accept or end a call, or pause or resume streaming. A tap on the other ear gives access to smartphone voice-assistants like Siri or Google Assistant.
“Naída has a long-lasting history of delivering power without sacrificing sound quality, so we knew that we needed to deliver an outstanding product to our wearers who depend so heavily on their devices,” said Jon Billings, Vice-President Phonak Marketing. “With Naída Paradise, we’re making history again by giving those with severe forms of hearing loss access to next-level, powerful sound with industry-leading connectivity.”
In late spring, the myPhonak app’s 5.0 update will include the myPhonak Memory feature. It helps allow consumers to save a custom program from the app to the hearing aids, access the last-used custom program using the hearing aid’s multi-function button, or access other custom programs via the app.
Phonak is also preparing for the newest member of the Roger family with the debut of Roger On. The new Roger On remote microphone will feature MultiBeam 2.0 technology and an “improved pointing mode that allows the user to zoom into a speaker by simply pointing.” Roger On will be compatible with most hearing aids and cochlear implants and will be able to stream a variety of audio content.
The new Phonak Naída Paradise is available for pre-order by licensed hearing care professionals in the US and other select markets and will begin shipping in late February. The myPhonak 5.0 app featuring myPhonak Memory feature as well as the new Roger On microphone will be introduced in the US and other select markets in late spring.
GN Hearing announced the launch of ReSound Key, a full essential hearing aid line-up that provides “greater access to proven and award-winning hearing technology worldwide.” Based on “an advanced chip platform and GN’s Organic Hearing philosophy, ReSound Key promises clear, natural sound quality,” according to GN’s announcement.
Today, only one in five of those who could benefit from hearing aids are using them[i], leaving a large proportion to miss out on life’s sounds, communicating with family, and socializingwith friends. The ReSound Key is set to make “a huge difference to people with all types of hearing loss.” According to GN, the new hearing aids will help people “boost their confidence and connect with others and the world during times of social isolation; all with clear sound and leading rechargeability that offers up to 30 hours of power from one charge.” They can enjoy direct streaming using iOS and Android devices and Bluetooth Low Energy.
Not treating hearing loss comes at a personal cost, with implications for physical, social, emotional, and mental health.[ii],[iii],[iv] However, professional guidance is at hand, even remotely, thanks to the company’s telehealth solution, ReSound Assist Live. With this at-home service, hearing care professionals can program and adjust ReSound Key hearing aids via video consultations to help people grow with their hearing and nurture their relationships.
GN Hearing CEO and President, Gitte Aabo, explains:“At GN Hearing, we believe that everyone deserves great hearing. Treating hearing loss can radically transform lives, helping people to thrive and grow. The launch of ReSound Key gives more people access to the best care and professional guidance, which helps them feel more confident and stay in touch with others to participate fully in life.”
ReSound Key joins the ReSound ONE with M&RIE* and ReSound LiNX Quattro in “the strongest and broadest ReSound portfolio yet,” offering hearing solutions at all price levels.
ReSound Key helps to further enhance the individualized hearing experience and can connect to a range of wireless accessories for additional help in challenging listening situations. New integrated, streamlined fitting and software updates “ensure a seamless first fit and customer satisfaction,” GN says.
ReSound Key is available in 10 models, including the rechargeable Receiver-in-Ear (RIE) design, custom hearing aids, and Behind-the-Ear (BTE) options – even including high-power and super-power models for profound hearing loss. ReSound Key will roll out in markets around the world from February 1, 2021. The same technology and models are also available in the new Beltone Rely hearing aid portfolio.
When you hear the word “earwax”, you might immediately think YUCK! But, did you know that earwax actually plays an important role in the health of your ear? I’d like to share some facts about earwax and the part it plays in a healthy ear.
1. Earwax is not YUCK at all
In fact, earwax is a requirement of a healthy ear canal. It is a product of two glands that are in the ear canal: sweat glands (known as “apocrine sweat glands”) and cerumen glands (known as “sebaceous glands”). Without earwax, ear canals would be dry and itchy. As a result, the ear canals would be more susceptible to scrapes and cuts from scratching.
2. The ear is designed to naturally rid itself of earwax
The skin cells in the ear canal are “migratory” skin cells. New skin cells in the ear canal are formed near the ear drum and then tend to work their way outward over time, carrying earwax and debris with them. These are called “migratory cells” because they migrate their way from inside the ear canal to outside the ear canal.
3. Earwax problems are less common than you think
Thanks to the migratory process of the ear canal, a true “earwax problem” is not as common as you might think. In fact, those who are most at risk for impacted earwax are (1) older adults (2) hearing aid users (3) those who use cotton swabs. Rarely will a person who doesn’t fall into one of these categories experience ear canal blockage due to excess earwax.
4. Cotton swabs should NOT be used to clean your ears
Speaking of cotton swabs, PLEASE DON’T USE THEM FOR EARWAX REMOVAL! What you are actually doing — instead of removing earwax — is wiping away wax in the outer 1/3 of the ear canal and pushing any remaining wax deeper into the ear canal. The most safe, effective way to remove problem cerumen is to visit a physician or hearing healthcare professional who can see into your ear canal then determine the best way to remove the earwax, if needed. Otherwise, simple hygiene practices, such as wiping the surface of the ear canal with a cloth while showering, should be sufficient to keep earwax from causing a problem.
5. Excessive earwax can be mistaken for hearing loss
Hearing loss is often blamed on earwax, but the actual problem is with the inner ear. Thousands of people who think they are experiencing hearing loss due to wax build-up are seen annually by hearing healthcare professionals when the true problem is hearing loss.
If you have ANY questions or concerns about the health of your ear or your hearing, the best course of action is to consult a physician and/or a hearing healthcare professional.
https://honiton-hearing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/facts-about-earwax.jpg375730adminhttps://honitonnew.leecurran.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/honitonhearinglogo.pngadmin2021-02-02 13:57:232021-02-02 13:57:23Five things you should know about earwax
Primary progressive aphasia is a rare neurodegenerative condition characterised by prominent language problems that worsen over time. About 40% of people with the condition have underlying Alzheimer’s disease. But a new study has found that people with the condition may not develop the memory problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The study is published in the January 13, 2021, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). A summary of the research was also published on the AAN website.
“While we knew that the memories of people with primary progressive aphasia were not affected at first, we did not know if they maintained their memory functioning over years,” said study author M. Marsel Mesulam, MD, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. “This has been difficult to determine because most memory tests rely on verbal skills that these people have lost or are losing.”
Honiton hearing centre
The study included 17 people with primary progressive aphasia associated with Alzheimer’s disease. They were compared to 14 people who had typical Alzheimer’s disease with memory loss.
Researchers tested memory skills of the people with primary progressive aphasia by showing them pictures of common objects. After waiting 10 minutes, they were shown the same pictures along with others and had to indicate whether they had seen the picture before. This test was given once and then again an average of 2.4 years later. The people with typical Alzheimer’s disease listened to a list of common words and were later given the same words along with others and asked to choose the ones they had heard before. They were tested once and then again an average of 1.7 years later.
Both groups also had tests of their language skills. Brain scans were taken of the people with primary progressive aphasia to look at how the disease was affecting their brains, especially in the areas related to memory.
The people with primary progressive aphasia had no decline in their memory skills when they took the tests a second time. At that point, they had been showing symptoms of the disorder for an average of six years. In contrast, their language skills declined significantly during the same period. For the people with typical Alzheimer’s disease, their verbal memory and language skills declined with equal severity during the study.
Exeter ear wax removal
Researchers had brain autopsies from eight of the people with primary progressive aphasia and all of the people with typical Alzheimer’s disease. The people with primary progressive aphasia had similar amounts of the plaques and tangles that are signs of Alzheimer’s disease as the people with typical Alzheimer’s, Mesulam said. Left sided asymmetry of brain shrinkage and a lower incidence of brain proteins known as ApoE4 and TDP-43 were identified as potential contributors to the preservation of memory in this rare type of Alzheimer’s disease.
“More research is needed to help us determine what factors allow these people to show this resilience of memory skills even in the face of considerable Alzheimer’s disease pathology in the brain,” Mesulam said.
Limitations of the study are the relatively small sample size and that autopsies were not available for all of the primary progressive aphasia cases.
Original Paper: Mesulam MM, Coventry C, Kuang A, et al. Memory resilience in Alzheimer’s disease with primary progressive aphasia. Neurology. 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000011397.
Source: AAN, Neurology
https://honiton-hearing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Honiton-ear-wax-removal.jpg417500adminhttps://honitonnew.leecurran.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/honitonhearinglogo.pngadmin2021-01-25 12:54:122021-01-25 12:54:58Primary Progressive Aphasia Memory Loss Measured
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