, ,

Signia Launches Styletto X Hearwear

Signia Launches Styletto X Hearwear

  

Signia Launches Styletto X Hearwear

Signia announces the launch of the Styletto X. This new device, said to be “the world’s first SLIM-RIC form factor” pioneered by Signia, is now available on the Signia Xperience platform.

Styletto X reportedly offers “the most complete hearing experience, combining one-of-a-kind style that patients desire with the uncompromised technology that hearing care professionals demand,” according to the company’s announcement. Signia says that this “highly sophisticated hearwear helps to improves listening in any situation—even when moving—and delivers better-than- normal-hearing in difficult noise.” Features of the Styletto X include exchangeable receivers, portable rechargeability, Bluetooth connectivity, and self-service patient support via Signia Assistant.

Keynsham hearing aids Bristol

In addition to Styletto X, Signia has introduced additional products on the Signia Xperience platform, helping to empower hearing care professionals to address more patient needs and preferences. These new offerings include:

  • The Silk X, a “discreet alternative to customs,” helping to allow hearing care professionals to operate more efficiently with a same-day-fit.
  • An expanded Essentials line to offer Signia’s advanced technology to more patients, regardless of budget.
  • Three new CROS solutions (CROS Pure Charge&Go X, CROS Pure 312 X, and CROS Silk X) for a choice of styles and fittings for patients with single-sided deafness.

“With its slim, rounded form and striking color combinations, Styletto X was developed to attract individuals who wouldn’t otherwise consider wearing hearing aids, while providing new options to existing wearers looking to upgrade to a sleek and modern device,” said Dr Tish Ramirez, AuD, Signia’s Vice President, Clinical Education & Professional Relations.

As evidence of its appeal, the eye-catching Styletto form factor—preferred by 8 out of 10 consumers—was found to significantly increase in-store-conversion of people with hearing loss into satisfied hearing aid wearers.2

Bristol digital hearing aid shop
Signia is the “first hearing aid brand” to incorporate Qi wireless charging technology, helping to enable wearers to place the Styletto X pocket-sized charging case on a charging pad for greater usability.

“Styletto X features several enhancements to this already well-received design, based on feedback from our hearing care professional partners,” Ramirez added. “In particular, Styletto X now comes with exchangeable receivers to treat a wider range of hearing loss and enable more patients to benefit from this one-of-a-kind device.”

A New Era of Wearability and Autonomy

Signia is “the first hearing aid brand” to incorporate Qi wireless charging technology into a hearing aid charging case. With this technology, wearers can simply place the Styletto X pocket-sized charging case on a charging pad in cafés, restaurants, or cars, instead of having to plug it into the charging port. Styletto X can be fully charged in only four hours to provide a full day’s wearing, including five hours of streaming.3

The Signia Assistant can help hearing care professionals by leveraging artificial intelligence to help support patients, 24/7, with text-based dialogue, instant sound adjustments, and how-to-videos to answer handling questions.

Remote Fitting and Service Options

With Signia’s new Remote Care solution, hearing care professionals and hearing aid wearers can benefit from flexible fitting and service options via TeleCare, “the first full, live remote fine-tuning solution in the industry,” according to the company.

Bath digital hearing aid shop

This hearing solution is available now in performance levels 7, 5, 3, 2, 1 and sDemo and in the contemporary color combinations Snow White/Rose Gold, Black/Silver, Cosmic Blue/Rose Gold, and in new White or Black.

For further information, please see: https://pro.signiausa.com/styletto-x/.

1 Red Dot Design Award 2019, iF Design Award 2019
2 Hakvoort, Burton: Increasing Style, Reducing Stigma: The Styletto Solution (Signia White Paper, 2018)
3 Based on 16 hours wearing incl. 5 hours streaming per day

Source: Signia

Images: Signia

/by
,

Starkey Updates Fall Alert Feature in ‘Basic Mode’ for IOS and Android

Starkey Updates Fall Alert Feature in ‘Basic Mode’ for IOS and Android

 

 

Keynsham hearing centre

Starkey hearing aids at the Keynsham hearing centre

Starkey announced that its  Thrive Hearing Control app has been updated to enable the Fall Alert feature in the “basic mode” for both iOS and Android versions. This feature was previously only available in “advanced mode.” Using their built-in 3D sensors, Starkey’s Livio Edge AI hearing aids can detect when the wearer falls and send alert messages to selected contacts. This update will “allow hearing healthcare professionals to give even more patients the opportunity to maintain their independence and caregivers peace of mind—which, due to current social distancing practices, is more crucial now than ever before.”

“We find it increasingly important for hearing aid wearers to feel secure in their day-to-day lives,” said Starkey Chief Innovation Officer Dave Fabry, PhD. “Because some Livio Edge AI wearers prefer the easy layout of basic mode, the simplified version of our Thrive Hearing Control app, enabling the Fall Alert feature for them was a vital task for us.”

Unlike other fall-detection devices, which are worn around the neck or on the wrist, Livio Edge AI is reportedly “the world’s first ear-worn, fall-detection device and alert system.” To learn more about Starkey and Livio Edge AI, please click here.

Source: Starkey

/by
, ,

Apple Takes Another Step Toward Hearing Aid Functionality

Keynsham hearing centre

Apple Takes Another Step Toward Hearing Aid Functionality

 

Apple Takes Another Step Toward Hearing Aid Functionality

On Monday, June 22, Apple introduced its latest operating system, iOS14, which includes —among many new features—a substantial move towards its AirPod Pros becoming a hearing-aid-like device. Almost buried as an afterthought at the bottom of Apple’s IOS New Features Preview are identical entries in the “Airpods” and “Accessibility” sections that say:

Headphone Accommodations

This new accessibility feature is designed to amplify soft sounds and adjust certain frequencies for an individual’s hearing, to help music, movies, phone calls, and podcasts sound more crisp and clear. Headphone Accommodations also supports Transparency mode on AirPods Pro, making quiet voices more audible and tuning the sounds of your environment to your hearing needs.

Hmmm…sounds a lot like a basic description of wide dynamic frequency compression (WDRC) or AGC, doesn’t it? Abram Bailey of Hearing Tracker, who broke the news yesterday, stated “This is the extremely exciting part, as it indicates that AirPods can now essentially be used to provide typical hearing aid functionality; applying personalised amplification to make it easier to hear those around you.” Bailey went on to show how the headphone accommodations use a custom audio setup with a listening test that generates an “audiogram” from the Apple Health app that “seems to indicate that the AirPods Pro will be capable of providing a very fine-tuned custom amplification experience, based on the audiogram (pitch-by-pitch hearing abilities) unique to the user.”

It should be acknowledged that Apple has for many years been developing hearing-aid-related features, including Live Listen for hearing aids and cochlear implants in 2014 (and later for AirPods and the Earpods), in addition to speech audiometry and speech-in-noise packages for developers, noise warning apps for its WatchOS, and more. The company sold more than 60 million Airpods in 2019, compared to about 15 million hearing aids worldwide for the entire hearing industry (4.2 million units in the US). Apple’s Wearables, Home and Accessories division had the most significant year-on-year growth for the company last year, with its sales increasing 41% thanks to the Airpod and Apple Watch, and the tech-giant owns an enviable 36.5% of the wearables market, according to CompareCamp. Mind you, this includes the “hearables” market that Nick Hunn predicted earlier this year will reach $80 billion a year by 2025.

As Paul Dybala, PhD, AuD, of AudiologyDesign points out in a recent LinkedIn post about Apple and its threat to the hearing industry, “If none of this impresses you, buy a pair of AirPod Pros and turn on the Active Noise Cancelling feature. Then change them over to Transparency Mode and listen further. Once you wipe your jaw off the floor, continue reading. Take your time, I’ll wait…” However, he then goes on to point out that hearing loss is widely viewed as a healthcare problem that should be addressed by a hearing healthcare professional, as shown in a 2017 survey by a study he did with colleague Brande Plotnick at Healthy Hearing.

**************

As a side-note, I’ve personally tried several of the products and hearing tests available in some of the better PSAPs. As one example, Alango Technology’s BeHear app did an impressive job of replicating an audiogram of my own mild sloping hearing loss and tailoring the sound to suit my preferences. The idea of an app doing this also reminded me of a September 2018 Hearing Review article by James Jerger, PhD, who—after describing three basic forms of automated audiometry—wrote:

“The most important issue is to catch up with the rest of the automated world…In spite of the many examples of successful automated systems summarised above, I suspect that there will be little further progress in the actual clinical use of automated audiometry of any variety until clinicians become part of the solution. It goes back to their initial educational experience. If the only procedure they learn as students is the manual Hughson-Westlake method on a conventional audiometer, it is unlikely that they will be easily diverted from that familiar path, sophisticated technology notwithstanding. PhD and AuD students—in addition to practicing clinicians—need to understand that automated audiometry can be carried out by less credentialed personnel, resulting in time and cost savings in a clinical setting. It is apparent this testing is moving into the digital/consumer realm [with the link going to Apple’s WDDC 2018 video that includes a demonstration of speech audiometry].

The point is professional hearing healthcare is so much more than automated tests and apps. As Dr Dybala notes in his article, it’s about assessing an often-complex medical problem and applying all of the tools available to tailor an individual solution that works for the patient in all kinds of listening situations, including (and especially) noise. However, as shown by Apple and others, the world of hearables with their automated testing and applied amplification should help millions of consumers make their first moves toward professional hearing care.

/by
,

CEVA and Bragi Partner on Hearable Devices

Keynsham hearing centre

CEVA and Bragi Partner on Hearable Devices

CEVA and Bragi Partner on Hearable Devices

CEVA, Inc (NASDAQ: CEVA), a licensor of wireless connectivity and smart sensing technologies, and Bragi GmbH, a technology company based in Munich, Germany, announced a strategic collaboration to drive a new class of hearable devices where the user experience is “customizable via the industry’s first hearable app store.” Target devices include headsets, hearing aids, True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds, and a host of other smart audio devices for the consumer and the smart home.

Honiton hearing wearables

According to the companies’ announcement, the partnership takes advantage of the low power, CEVA-BX DSP architecture, along with its LLVM compiler and Eclipse based development tool chain, and Bragi 4, a newly defined operating system (OS) specialized for hearables. In conjunction with Bragi 4 OS, Bragi’s patented commercial app store will “help enable technology partners and experts to offer software apps and services such as voice activation, voice biometric, audio post processing, and music services.” These software packages can be licensed and downloaded directly to devices based on this architecture, allowing individuals to personalize their hearables user experience. CEVA will also offer a range of its value-added software via the Bragi app store, including ClearVox for noise reduction, WhisPro for speech recognition, MotionEngine for sensor fusion, and the SenslinQ framework for contextual awareness.

“Imagine buying headphones that adapt according to the needs of the user. Purchase noise-canceling software just before boarding a plane,” said Nikolaj Hviid, Founder and CEO of Bragi. “Encrypt communication data for sensitive business conversations. Discover that you hear better with voice amplification through try-to-buy offers. On business travel, use your headphones to translate from Chinese into English. Add a feature that alerts someone if your headphones detect you’ve fallen over. The possibilities are endless.”

Through this collaboration, “hearables and other smart audio devices will transform in the same way as the mobile phone industry in the ’00s, by replacing single-purpose feature products with flexible products capable of adapting their functionalities to the users through post-purchase apps and services.”

“Our collaboration with Bragi brings a game-changing approach to the design of hearables and other audio devices, where the user experience can be adapted, instantaneously,” said Moshe Sheier, Vice President of Marketing at CEVA. “Our CEVA-BX audio DSPs, voice processing and motion sensing software, and SenslinQ context-aware framework perfectly complement Bragi’s OS and unique capabilities in providing a direct channel for OEMs and ODMs to offer a customizable user experience to consumers through enhanced software and services.”

For customers wishing to integrate wireless connectivity into their SoC design, CEVA provides Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NB-IoT solutions, including the latest Bluetooth LE Audio standard. Any of these technologies can be seamlessly integrated into a SoC design and linked together with the audio offerings via the SenslinQ framework. For further information, visit: https://www.ceva-dsp.com/product/ceva-senslinq/.

Source: CEVA, Bragi GmbH

Images: CEVA, Bragi GmbH

/by
, ,

New report in deafness therapy

Ear wax removal Bristol, ear wax removal Bath, ear wax removal Somerset, ear wax removal Frome, ear wax removal Combe down,Lee Curran

New report in deafness therapy

 

New report in deafness therapy has been reported by a new scientific paper. Here at the Keynsham hearing centre are keen to keep up with the latest information to keep our patients informed.

Below is what was reported by the hearing review recently. 

 

High-pressure Oxygen Therapy May Help Treat Sudden Deafness, Says ‘JAMA’ Study

   

Keynsham hearing centre deafness experts

Bottom Line: The addition of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (where patients receive pure oxygen in a pressurised chamber) to standard medical treatment was associated with an improved likelihood that patients who experience sudden deafness might recover all or some of their lost hearing, JAMA Network announced on its website. Sudden deafness, also known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), is hearing loss that happens within a few days and often has no identifiable cause. This study combined the results of 19 studies, including three randomised clinical trials, and suggests a greater benefit of adding the hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be associated with those patients who have severe to profound hearing loss and who failed to recover after standard medical treatment. A limitation of this study is that because a substantial number of patients with SSNHL will spontaneously recover, the benefits of treatment may not have been accurately evaluated.

Authors: Tae-Min Rhee, MD, DMO/UMO, National Maritime Medical Center, Changwon, Republic of Korea, and coauthors.

Original Paper: Rhee T-M, Hwang D, Lee J-S, Park J, Lee JM. Addition of hyperbaric oxygen therapy vs medical therapy alone for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2018. Available at: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2704029

Source: JAMA Network, JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg

 

/by
, , , ,

Starkey’s Livio AI Featured in ‘TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019′ List

Starkey’s Livio AI Featured in ‘TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019′ List

The Keynsham hearing centre are excited to learn that Starkey’s Livio AI has featured in the ”Time’s 100 Best.

Starkey Hearing Technologies announces that Livio AI, “the world’s first multi-purpose hearing aid,” has earned a place on TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019 in the accessibility category. This list is said to “highlight inventions that are making the world better, smarter, and even a bit more fun.”

Bath hearing centre

Starkey Livio AI hearing aid available at the Keynsham hearing centre.

Starkey Livio AI, at Keynsham hearing

TIME uses a multi-step process to assemble the annual list. Contenders from around the world are evaluated on key factors, including originality, effectiveness, ambition, and influence. The result: One hundred groundbreaking inventions that are changing the way we live, work, play, and think about what’s possible, according to Starkey’s announcement.

Livio AI  features integrated sensors and artificial intelligence, providing what the company says is “superior sound quality and the ability to track both body and brain health.” By providing direct monitoring of physical and cognitive activity, including fall alerts and transcription features, Livio AI helps raise awareness about the connection between treating hearing loss and reducing health risks, like cognitive decline and heart disease.

Somerset hearing centre

“I’d like to thank TIME for this incredible recognition. We are humbled and proud to be on this list and in the company of other innovative companies that are truly making the world a better place,” said Starkey President Brandon Sawalich. “I’m grateful to the entire Starkey team for its relentless dedication to helping people hear better, so they can live better. Thank you for continuing to push us to break technological boundaries and transform hearing health as we know it.”

The new issue of TIME, featuring Starkey and Livio AI, goes on sale November 22.

Source: Starkey Hearing Technologies 

/by
,

Ear wax removal Bath

Ear wax removal, Bath ear wax removal, Frome ear wax removal, ear wax removal Bristol, Microsuction Bath, Microsuction Bristol

 Ear wax removal Bath

 

The best ear wax removal Bath is at the Keynsham hearing centre. If you are in need of expert advice for ear wax issues or you know you have ear wax issues, the Keynsham hearing centre have various ways they can remove it. The latest technique is using a small hoover type of machine.  This very gently removes ear wax using Micro-Suction. Suction so small you can hardly feel it.  Stephen Neal the lead audiologist at Keynsham hearing demonstrates how Microsuction works here. The video really does show how simple and effective this way of removing ear wax is.

 Ear wax removal Bath

Sometimes ear wax removal can be called ear syringing. Keynsham hearing can do the traditional ear syringing technique if you prefer.

Bristol ear wax removal. Bath ear wax removal.

Ear wax removal for the Bath area available at the Keynsham hearing centre.

Out of hours ear wax appointments are always available, please call reception and ask Anita specifically for an out of ours appointment if your ear wax removal is urgent.

 

Keynsham hearing news:

 

New Apple Watch Feature to Measure Noise Levels

The Keynsham hearing centre offers the very latest in hearing aids and hearing wearable connectivity.

 

Ear wax removal and hearing aids, Bath, Somerset

A new feature on the Apple watchOS 6 will help users keep track of the decibel level in their surrounding environment, according to an article on Mic.

The app, known as “Noise,” will periodically use the watch’s microphone to check sound levels, and will issue a warning if sound reaches or exceeds 90 decibels, according to Mic. Users will also be able to perform checks on demand as well.

The Mic article does note, however, that the Noise app will not measure sound levels when listening to music via headphones.

To read the article in its entirety, please click here.

Source: Mic

Image: © Jair Fonseca – Dreamstime.com

/by
,

Ear wax removal Bristol

Ear wax removal, Bath ear wax removal, Frome ear wax removal, ear wax removal Bristol, Microsuction Bath, Microsuction Bristol

Ear wax removal Bristol

 

Ear wax removal Bristol . The Keynsham hearing centre is the place to find out more information if you are suffering with hearing loss of any type. Sometimes the loss can be quite mild and irritating so you just put up with it for now. This could easily be a build up of wax that is blocking the ear canal and can easily be removed in a few minutes at Keynsham.  Ear wax removal is usually done using a very very small suction device called Micro-Suction. We have produced a video on how this works and how the ear wax removal appointment will look like. Stephen Neal is who you would see at Keynsham and he is shown on the video.

Ear wax removal Bristol

You can watch the Micro-Suction ear wax removal video here.

To book an appointment at the Keynsham clinic please call reception and speak with Anita or use the contact form .

 

Keynsham hearing news:

 

International Campaign for Better Hearing Announces Results of Hearing Loss Survey

Ear wax removal Bristol

Hearing loss Bristol

A new survey conducted in ten countries, specifically designed to study the habits of people with hearing loss, reveals how people around the world feel about their hearing condition and how addressing hearing loss with treatment can help significantly improve quality of life.

The study results, which the The International Campaign for Better Hearing announced in a press release, conclude that 74% of respondents from around the world with hearing loss have at some point been embarrassed, while 69% have felt anxious, 64% have experienced feeling socially isolated, 59% felt tired/drained, 62% suffered from anger or frustration, and 49% have even felt unsafe as a result of their hearing loss.

Ear wax removal Bristol

The US ranked highest, with 81% of their respondents experiencing social isolation because of their hearing loss,while people in Spain were the most likely to have experienced feeling unsafe because of their condition (79%).

After recognizing a problem with their hearing, 3/10 people globally delayed getting assessed and treatment as they believed losing their hearing was just a fact of aging and therefore couldn’t be helped, and 24% delayed seeing a professional as they were too embarrassed to go.

The US and UK respondents were quickest to seek medical help with 17% of US respondents and 16% of UK respondents pursuing advice as quickly as within a month of noticing a problem with their hearing. However, it took 22% of Irish, 18% of Australian, and 18% of New Zealand respondents over 5 years to seek help. Overall, less than half of respondents across the globe sought advice for their hearing issues within 6 months, and more than a third waited over a year.

After being diagnosed with hearing loss, 91% of respondents had treatment globally, which included hearing aids, cochlear implants, surgery, and wax removal. According to the survey, respondents from Ireland were most reluctant to accept treatment—35% compared to the global average of 9%.

The most common treatment for hearing loss across the globe was wearing a hearing aid, topping the poll in all but one market region. In fact, more than 8/10 of respondents in half of the countries polled reported that they wear aids, and significantly, 84% reported that their life has consequently improved by treatment.

The survey revealed that the most common prompts for recognizing hearing problems are difficulty with conversations (62%), having to turn up the radio/TV (60%), and having friends and family point out that they are missing out on sounds (51%).

“In general, it seems that noticing hearing issues does not always spur us to seek medical advice, even though a vast majority have at some point felt anxious, unsafe, or alone. In fact, we are actually willing to wait a considerable amount of time and live with our symptoms,” said Ann-Kristin Foss, brand and communications manager, International Campaign for Better Hearing. “Considering how much of a difference hearing loss treatment can make to our lives we want to encourage more people to get their hearing checked as soon as they notice any difference to their hearing ability.”

“If you noticed a problem with your eyesight, you would almost certainly get checked out as soon as possible, and would visit an optician for a diagnosis,” said Foss.  “Over half of the respondents that took our survey were more likely to turn to health services than to a hearing specialist for diagnosis of their hearing issues. Thanks to the International Campaign for Better Hearing, everyone can now receive a free hearing test at a number of professional hearing clinics across the world.”

The International Campaign for Better Hearing survey also looked to find out whether people with hearing loss were aware of the links between unaddressed hearing loss and health issues, and the results reveal that the majority of global respondents demonstrated an “alarming lack of knowledge” of how hearing loss can affect overall health. Whilst many are familiar with the links between hearing loss and social withdrawal and depression, more than three quarters are unaware that hearing loss can cause problems with heart health, strokes, and diabetes. Furthermore, 80% aren’t aware that untreated hearing loss may increase your risk of developing dementia. This question was also posed to family members of people with hearing loss, which produced slightly more positive results.

The International Campaign for Better Hearing advocates the importance of hearing loss identification, offering free hearing tests for everyone—particularly encouraging people over the age of 60 to have their hearing checked at a clinic for free, as they are at a higher risk of hearing loss. The initiative, which is supported by hearing care retailer Audika Group, is making every effort to inform and educate about hearing health and the dangers of untreated hearing loss as well as making hearing aids accessible to those who otherwise could not afford them via a give-back program.

For more information visit: https://www.campaignforbetterhearing.org/

Source: The International Campaign for Better Hearing

 

/by