Question
What are the benefits of using titanium in the Phonak Virto B-Titanium?
Answer
The extremely discreet Phonak Virto B Custom Titanium hearing aid is the smallest Phonak custom hearing aid ever made. It is the result many different innovations. Medical grade titanium gives it unmatched strength as compared to other hearing aids. It can withstand more wear and tear as it won’t break, crack or get damaged as easily as acrylic because it is 15 times stronger. It is made using sophisticated 3D printing technology that has enabled us to achieve a 64% increase in our IIC (invisible-in-the-canal) fitting rate. Significantly more hearing impaired individuals can now be fit with an IIC device.
Additionally, the titanium shell is 50% thinner than a traditional acrylic shell. Our acrylic shell's thickness is 0.4 millimeters, while the new titanium shell is a mere 0.2 millimeters. With an acrylic shell that is less than 0.4 mm, it may be too thin and may result in a higher failure rate. The thinner titanium shell also gives Virto B-Titanium 30% more interior space, which allows for not only more venting, but also more power options. We also have integrated the microphone with the battery compartment of the faceplate, which saves 1.2 millimeters in height from a traditional faceplate, allowing it to fit a little deeper. The new modular interior design increases protection from moisture and debris with an IP68 rating and also allows a fast and easy replacement.
The Virto B-Titanium has a dedicated circuit that is different from what is used in our other custom products. By removing things that were not necessary in an IIC, like directional processing, we are able to make the circuit 60% smaller. The circuit is also more efficient and provides up to a 20% increase in battery life.
How discreet is discreet? All of these changes collectively make this Virto B-Titanium 26% smaller than Virto V-Nano, which results in a 64% increase in the IIC fit rate.
The Virto B-Titanium has the option of using a MiniControl magnetic switch or a push button and can also be configured for EasyPhone. Additionally, it features the new AutoSense OS and is available in both the 70 and 90 performance levels.
For more information, view the Phonak recorded course, Phonak Belong - New Custom Solution.
