Oticon: Real
Oticon says its new premium hearing aid, Real, provides access to the ‘full spectrum of sound’ with exceptional detail and clarity, while simultaneously reducing wind and handling noise and other sudden disruptive sounds that make it hard for wearers to engage.
Real is said to support how the brain naturally works, automatically and precisely processing the details of all sounds, so wearers can follow conversations with more awareness, focus and control, even in challenging environments.
The devices utilises BrainHearing technology, which helps the brain make sense of its surroundings so users can focus on what is important. An on-board Deep Neural Network has been trained with 12 million real-life sounds, which Oticon says ensures each sound is delivered with exceptional detail. This built-in intelligence allows users to gain back the sounds of real life without compromising clarity, so they can engage more, focus better, and enjoy everyday experiences to the fullest. It also means subtle actions like brushing hair or making an adjustment to a pair of spectacles, which can be bothersome for a hearing aid wearer, are minimised but speech clarity is prioritised. As a result, Oticon says the hearing aid significantly reduces listening effort, giving users confidence in their ability to engage and focus.
Phonak: Audéo Lumity
Released in late 2022, the Lumity hearing aid technology platform has been introduced to Phonak’s range of Audéo devices. The company says the new platform offers 16% better speech understanding from the front and an average of 15% better speech intelligibility from the back and sides.
‘Despite many significant advancements in hearing aid functionality and ease of use, hearing care professionals and their clients
continue to ask for ways to enhance what is the most basic, but still the most important, purpose of a hearing aid: better speech understanding,’ says Phonak’s director of global audiology, Angela Pelosi.
The company’s SmartSpeech technology, which has been tuned to focus on improving speech understanding, has been combined with updates in directional microphone capability that provides adaptive focus on a conversation partner, as well as simultaneously maintaining a balance of environmental awareness.
Two optional integrations can improve speech understanding even further. The ActiveVent receiver features a vent that switches mechanically to optimise hearing performance in challenging environments, while the Roger On microphone recognises if speech is coming from the left or right side of the wearer and provides spatial information to suit.
Lumity pairs with the myPhonak app, which has been designed to empower users with the ability to make adjustments and create customised programs. The app also allows the user to track personal health data.
Safkan Health: Otoset
Earwax removal is becoming commonplace in many optical practices where hearing care services are offered, so it is well worth
assessing some of the solutions on the market. One of the latest to join the list is Otoset by Safkan Health in the US. Otoset is the first automated and FDA-cleared ear cleaning device to remove mild to severe earwax impactions and uses a mix of irrigation and micro-suction.
During a cleaning cycle, liquid flow is directed from solution containers through disposable ear tips and towards the walls of the ear canals to break down earwax. Continuous micro-suction draws the earwax and liquid back through the ear tips and into disposable waste containers.
‘Excessive earwax is one of the main causes of damage to hearing aids. Access to care for earwax management can be difficult when so many patients have to be referred out to specialists. Otoset enables more patients to be treated at the initial point of care,’ said Sahil Diwan, SafKan Health’s co-founder and CEO.
Mimi Hearing Technologies: Mimi Hearing Test
Driving relevant eye care patients to in-practice hearing services will be a crucial factor when delivering return on audiology investment.
Adding a quick hearing assessment app to your own, or the patient’s, iPhone could be one of the more subtle ways to direct patients to in-house audiology services.
The Mimi Hearing Test is intuitive to use and tests a wide range of frequencies. When the assessment is complete, the user is provided with data insights into their hearing ability, which can then be passed to a hearing care professional before full assessment with booth-based testing. The app is currently calibrated for Apple EarPods, Apple AirPods, Apple AirPods Pro, the Sennheiser HDA 200 & 300. The accuracy of your test results will depend on the type of headphones or earphone used, as well as the ambient noise levels.
Ear Inc: Adjustable Screener and Fit Check
If the idea of a screening app for patients in practice does not appeal, having a manual device to hand for quick assessments could be another way of identifying suitable patients for audiology services.
The handheld Adjustable Screener and Fit Check from Ear Inc has been designed to quickly screen hearing acuity and check the attenuation and fit of hearing protection. The fully calibrated pulse-tone generator features five decibel levels (40, 50, 60, 70, and 80dB) and four frequencies (500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000Hz).
The company says the battery powered device makes for an excellent marketing tool that quickly demonstrates hearing loss. It can even be given to patients to borrow so they can test at home or test friends and relatives.
Rexton: Rugged BiCore B-Li
For patients that demand durability or have active lifestyles, Rexton’s Rugged BiCore device could be the perfect solution. Billed by the company as its most robust hearing aid, the Rugged BiCore has been designed with a range of tested design features. These include a thicker mechanical housing and frame, an airtight receiver with reinforced suspension, sealed charging contacts, new mic-inlet protection and sealing glue along all housing parting-lines.
The result is a hearing aid that is water-resistant at a depth of two metres for up to 30 minutes, meaning should a patient forget to take it out before swimming, performance will not be affected. It can withstand drops of up to two metres and has 2H level scratch resistance. It is also impervious to damage from the harsh salts and oils in sweat and the solids and fluids in soaps and shampoos.
Global head of Rexton brand, Michelle Reyneke, said: ‘We want to eliminate the disruption hearing aid damage causes to users’ lives, and the time and expense involved in repair or replacement. That’s why Rugged is so robust. It’s durable in every way, so it can handle all the knock, spills, and accidents of everyday life.’
Widex: Moment app
Companion phone apps for hearing aids have changed the way users interact with their devices for the better. Troubleshooting, sound optimisation and even health benefits can all be accessed by wearers from settings within apps, meaning fewer trips to the audiologist.
Widex’s Moment app, which is used with the company’s range of Moment hearing aids, was recognised with an Innovation Award from the organisers of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this year for its functionality and user empowerment.
The new Moment app uses an enhanced version of the company’s hearing aid customisation tool, MySound, which brings together artificial intelligence with wearer intent so users can hear what they want in various environments. The AI engine has also been updated to include a new parameter: compression. Based on research that showed significant variation in wearer preference across different compression settings, the company identified compression as an essential parameter to personalise. A more compressed sound can make it easier to hear coming from a distance, while more expansion emphasises nearer sounds and reduces sounds that are farther away.
The app also includes Widex SoundRelax, a new library of fractal sounds, which help wearers relax and concentrate, while alleviating tinnitus. It leverages fractal mathematics to generate constantly changing, soothing tones and chimes that never repeat. The relaxation experience is fully customisable, and there are a variety of selectable soundscapes.
Designed to maximise the performance and utility of Moment hearing aids, the app’s My Guide features videos and articles on device storage, comfort, charging, care and maintenance, troubleshooting advice, as well as a reminder function to encourage daily hearing aid use. In addition, the app supports direct streaming of calls, music and podcasts from iOS and Android devices.