How Does OneMic Directionality in Siemens binax Instruments Work?

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Answer

We based this technology on what is already happening with two-microphone directional binax RICs.  By transmitting audio signals between a pair of two-microphone binax instruments, we can look at information from all four microphones at once on the left and right sides, like a virtual eight-mic array. 

On a single-microphone CIC, we’ll take information from both the left and the right microphone, and look at that on both sides.  So if I have two microphones to work with on each side, I’ve got a virtual four-mic array.  By combining this processing, we now have CICs and IICs with directionality.

In terms of measurements, we use an S-AIDI (sequential AIDI) rather than traditional AIDI.   The S-AIDI on binax CICs is about 5.1 dB.  This closely correlates to a directivity index (DI) measurement, so you see a nice improvement over an omnidirectional situation.  And, we're taking advantage of pinna effect plus the binaural processing.

With a binaural set of two-microphone binax custom instruments, with the pinna effect, we get an S-AIDI of 10.5 compared to the RICs with a 9.2.  So we can anticipate good performance for wearers.  As you know, one of the biggest complaints for the hearing aid wearer is performance in noise.  Another thing that’s important to wearers is small, discrete instruments, which traditionally meant a trade-off in terms of performance in noise.  With binax, we can now provide good performance in noise with small, attractive instruments.

This Ask the Expert is an excerpt from a full interview on the topic of Siemens binax.  Read the full interview here.  Further information can be found at https://usa.bestsoundtechnology.com or at the Siemens Expo Page on AudiologyOnline.