Interview with Perseo Lunch and Learn - Online Chat
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Audiology Online and Phonak recently participated in an Internet-based educational event which was very exciting. The event was held during the week of March 24, 2003. The Phonak Lunch and Learn program was well attended and provided an interactive forum through which the AO audience was introduced to Phonak's newest products. An edited transcript of the event is provided below. Thanks to all of those who participated!
---Douglas Beck Au.D., Editor-In-Chief, Audiology Online
AO/Beck: I'd like to welcome you all to the online introduction of Perseo, by Phonak. With me today to tell you about Perseo and answer your questions is Dave Fabry.
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Thanks, Doug. And thanks to everyone who is joining us today - we know that your time is valuable. With me are several of my colleagues from Phonak, including Liz Brassine, Ron Gleitman, Stephanie Monsees, Ruedi Suter, and Laura Voll. We are excited to be using this live format to introduce Perseo. If you haven't done so already, please view the short presentation on Perseo at www.PhonakPro.com. This presentation will give you some background on Perseo and what makes it unique. Also, we encourage you very strongly to stop by the booth at AAA, if you will be attending, to listen to Perseo and get additional information about product features and specifications. If you are not attending AAA, feel free to contact your sales representative to schedule a visit and/or training session.
We hope that this chat provides you with a taste of Perseo that will whet your appetite and leave you hungry for more!
AO/Beck: Dave, can you tell us about Perseo? What makes it special?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: First of all, Perseo serves as the flagship hearing system in Phonak's hearing aid family, combining leading edge, innovative hardware with efficient, flexible, and user-friendly software in one package.
We call it the art and science of hearing aid fitting, in that it enables both experienced and inexperienced clinicians to efficiently optimize hearing aid parameters for each and every patient at the initial fitting session.
Furthermore, using a series of Personal System Managers, they enable the clinician to easily accommodate the patient's changing needs over time. Hearing solutions should be individual, and Perseo offers the ultimate in personalization to achieve that goal.
AO/Beck: Tell us about the Personal System Managers.
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Well, the Perseo Personal System Managers give immediate access to solutions for common fitting issues. Part of the patient's confidence in the product is based on how much—or rather how little--- time it takes to solve these issues.
In essence, the software should make efficient use of your time with the patient in that initial fitting session. Personal System Managers help to create a good first impression and spontaneous acceptance. These Managers comprise an Experience Manager, Occlusion Manager, a dynamic Feedback Manager and the Listening Situation Manager (slide 11 in the presentation on www.phonakpro.com )
AO/Beck: What is a listening situation manager?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: The Listening Situation Manager is the software control for the PersonalLogic system, which has evolved from the original AutoSelect feature. AutoSelect decides, based on an acoustic analysis of the listening environment, which one of two listening programs is automatically selected to ensure optimum speech understanding in quiet or noise. PersonalLogic now makes is possible to efficiently control that automatic function, based on a combination of the user's personal preference and the acoustics of the listening environment. For example, the sensitivity to background noise may be adjusted, using a series of five steps, to change how often Perseo switches between base programs (slide 12 on www.phonakpro.com )
AO/Beck: I also heard that Perseo offers a design manager. Can you tell us a little about that?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Sure. By using the Perseo Design Manager (slide 10 on www.phonakpro.com), the fitter and client work together to select how their instruments will look, how they will operate and what options are available. It's a unique and interactive selection tool that facilitates the right options to be selected for every patient.
AO/Beck: Does Perseo have a feedback manager and if so, how does it work?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Yes, Perseo does have a dynamic Feedback Manager; it is an optional procedure that is fast, comfortable for the patient, and less sensitive to environmental noise than some other methods.
AO/Beck: What does the Occlusion Manager do?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Basically, the occlusion manager is designed to reduce the sound of a person's own voice by lowering gain for the 80 dB input, primarily in the low frequencies, effectively increasing compression ratio. Low-frequency G50 is reduced as well, but to a lesser degree. From the clinician's point of view, however, these adjustments are all made via an adjustment to a slidebar with three steps (you can see it on slide 11 at www.phonakpro.com )
AO/Beck: Is there any special software needed to program Perseo?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Doug, the software for Perseo is called PFG 8.1. This software was sent along with the invitation to this event. No additional software or hardware is needed.
AO/Beck: What models are available?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Sure, Doug. Perseo is available in a full line of products:
Perseo 11 CIC, 35 gain/108 output
Perseo 23 dAZ half-shell/full shell, 48 gain/108 output
Perseo 111dAZ BTE for mild/sloping hearing losses, 45 gain/120 output
Perseo 211dAZ BTE for mild-moderate losses, 55 gain/125 output
Perseo 311dAZ Forte BTE for moderate-severe losses, 65 gain/130 output
Raleigh ENT: Is there a power version?
Liz Brassine/Phonak:The strongest model is the 311 with 65 gain. For more power, we recommend our Supero digital line which is designed specifically for power fittings
AO/Beck: Tell me some more about the remote controls for Perseo.
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Sure, Doug. There are two styles of remote control available:
WatchPilot 2, a new WatchPilot with stainless steel band
SoundPilot, a hand-held remote
This new WatchPilot is very sleek and sporty. It is all stainless steel, made in Switzerland, and has the look and feel of a true Swiss watch. In addition, the transmission range has been optimized for use with Perseo, and it the watch is designed to be used at the normal distance required (chest high) to easily read the time on your watch.
The remote control buttons are labeled on the faceplate, with easy access to volume control, program selection and FM function. There is a nice photo of the new WatchPilot 2 on www.PhonakPro.com. (slide 14).
WatchPilot 2 is compatible with ALL digital, remote-controlled Phonak hearing aids, and of course, the original WatchPilot and SoundPilot may also be used with Perseo.
AO/Beck: I heard some of these new instruments are smaller than previous Phonak instruments?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Yes, the new Perseo 111dAZ and 211dAZ BTE are approximately a half-inch shorter than their Claro counterparts. This makes for a compact and attractive package in a full-featured BTE. Incidentally, Perseo uses the same battery cables as for Claro BTE and ITE instruments.
AO/Beck: Any differences with the ITE instruments?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Yes, especially in terms of user controls. The push button/memory selector is standard and integrated into the faceplate of the instrument, giving it a much sleeker design. As always, this switch can be deactivated in the software as way of simplifying the product for a given patient. In addition, all Perseo in-the-ear products are available with eShell (Nemotech process) at no extra charge.
Kathy: What is eShell?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Kathy, Nemotech is the process used for digital manufacturing of ITE,ITC and CIC shells. The product of this process is called eShell. The shells are made of nylon material that is highly durable, has improved biocompatibility, and greater comfort than acrylic shells. Plus, the future advantages include the capability for measuring the ear and compensating for ear canal motion that is simply not provided by the current acrylic shell manufacturing process.
AO/Beck: Phonak has been a leader in FM technology-is this available for the Perseo product line?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Yes, FM can be an integrated solution for the Perseo BTEs and is compatible with all Phonak transmitters.
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Well, a few of the items include: Dual based programs (true 2 memories for different environments), Personallogic, adaptive zoom, 20 bands of noise cancelation, remote control options, signal processing based on the cochlea.
Q: How is Perseo different than Claro?
In a nutshell, Perseo is designed for new and experienced users who are looking for a hearing instrument with advanced adaptive features, enhanced sound quality, easy personalization of fitting and choice of user operation (namely, automatic, manual program control with Tactronic switch, or via remote control). The choice of one product over another is dependent on the patient's hearing loss, listening needs, and prioritization of size, cost, and available performance features. Phonak provides an entire family of digital options from Perseo, Claro, Aero, and our new digital value line that will be introduced this summer. In addition, Supero is the only digital hearing instrument designed specifically for super-power applications.
Q: Are the differences just software differences?
Regarding your question, there are both hardware and software differences between Perseo and Claro. Essentially, we built on the clinical and listener experiences from ALL other Phonak hearing aids to keep the good elements and refined other areas. For example, the circuitry used in DPP2 uses faster time constants (10 ms attack, 80 ms release times) and different compression kneepoints (30-35 dB for narrow-band stimuli) to improve speech audibility. Furthermore, as we discussed, the Program Managers provide solutions for occlusion management, dynamic feedback reduction, and personalization of Autoselect through PersonalLogic.
If you have a current Claro user who is happy with AutoSelect, available user control options, and sound quality and has no feedback concerns, then we encourage you to have them continue using that device. We are very proud of that circuit, and have hundreds of thousands of successful users who feel the same way. That said, the experience that we have gained from Claro has been used to develop Perseo into the most flexible and personalized hearing aid available from Phonak or any other company. Finally, though, you really have to HEAR the difference between Perseo and Claro, and this forum does not provide a good method for that comparison. We invite to talk to your sale representative for a demonstration, or call Phonak to set up training. Also, if you are attending AAA, please stop by the booth.
Q: Will Perseo be more expensive than Claro?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: The list price of Perseo is slightly more than the list price of Claro. (note the special offer, however)
Q: Will Claro be discontinued?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: No, Claro will continue to serve an important role in the Phonak family, as the elite digital product, positioned in between Perseo and Aero.
Q: Does Perseo come in silver like Claro?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Perseo is not currently available in silver, but will be later this year.
Q: Does Perseo have the mic filter like Claro?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Yes, the microphone protection filter first used in Claro BTEs, has been incorporated into Perseo BTEs. This field-changeable microphone cover does an excellent job at protecting the instruments from moisture and debris. It preserves directionality and prolongs microphone performance. Also, in the Help menu of PFG 8.1, there is a toolbar called Wind and Weather Protection . If clicked, a video is shown in which the microphone filter is changed, which serves as a useful teaching tool for this procedure.
Dave Fabry/Phonak: If you think of Autoselect as the first step in automatic detection and adjustment of hearing aid parameters, PersonalLogic is the second step in that evolution towards intelligent hearing aids that analyze the auditory environment and optimize hearing aid settings automatically, based on individual patient preferences.
PersonalLogic may be personalized, via the Listening Situation Manager, to meet individual patient preferences for listening in noise. The clinician may select whether PersonalLogic adapts to noise on the basis of audibility or comfort. Audibility changes to Noisy situation processing only when speech in noise is detected, but not with speech alone or noise alone. Comfort adapts WHENEVER noise is present that exceeds a certain dB level. Are you with me?
The second adjustment that may be made by the clinician is Sensitivity to Noise , which adjusts the dB level at which the program switching from QuietSituations to NoisySituations.
Finally, Contrast may be adjusted, which determines how noticeable the program change is from Quiet to NoisySituations. In essence, it is the degree of the wow effect that the patient will experience, and for Perseos with dAZ, it is primarily the difference between equalized and non-equalized directional response . There are other things that are being changed, but this is the primary effect.
Q: Does Perseo have a feedback manager and if so, how does it work?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: It is all about power consumption at the circuit level. There are essentially three ways to reduce feedback: phase cancellation, notch filtering, and gain reduction. In particular, phase cancellation can use up to 50% of a hearing aid's processing power to monitor and reduce feedback, which is undesirable. The 20-band compression system used in Perseo enables very precise control over gain in a narrow frequency band to preserve audibility and loudness for all listening situations while preventing feedback with no additional influence on power consumption. If you use fewer compression and/or frequency equalization bands, you are correct to say that audibility can be affected, particularly in the high frequencies. In summary, Perseo provides effective feedback suppression through narrow-band gain reduction without sacrificing battery life while maintaining audibility and speech intelligibility.
Q. What does the Occlusion Manager do?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Basically, the occlusion manager is designed to reduce the sound of a person's own voice by lowering gain for the 80 dB input, primarily in the low frequencies, effectively increasing compression ratio. Low-frequency G50 is reduced as well, but to a lesser degree.
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Yes, the Loudness Perception Profile is an optional, loudness scaling procedure that can be used with either Claro or Perseo to set gain and compression across all 20 critical bands. If you choose not to do this procedure during fitting, loudness growth information will be predicted based on your patient's audiometric information. We feel that LPP is yet another tool for personalizing Perseo gain settings after the initial fitting if the patient is experiencing loudness difficulties with pre-calculated gain values.
Q: Does Perseo have a low-battery indicator?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Low-battery indicator is available on Perseo CIC, which uses the smallest battery size and has shorter battery life than other models.
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Yes, it is the same SoundPilot for both product lines.
Q: Will the WatchPilot2 work with other Phonak hearing instruments?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Yes, WatchPilot 2 is available now, and it is compatible with ALL digital, remote-controlled Phonak hearing aids. Changing the battery will be a similar process. The transmission distance for WatchPilot2 is optimized for distance at chest level. In addition, the original SoundPilot and WatchPilot may also be used with Perseo.
Liz Brassine/Phonak: All Perseo instruments, including the CIC, have 3 memories. Patients may access these memories via the standard TacTronic memory switch on the CIC. For the 23 dAZ, or any of the BTEs, they may also use either of the optional remote controls—the SoundPilot or WatchPilot.
Q: What is the difference between DPP and DPP2?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Basically, we built on the experience we gained from DPP fittings to provide even better speech intelligibility for quiet and noisy listening situations. Among the changes are faster compression time constants and lower compression thresholds than are used in DPP.
Q. Does Perseo use the Tactronic Switch? How is it set?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Yes, Perseo's TacTronic switch is by default set to PersonalLogic (start program) and P3. if nothing is changed, the user can access the automatic operation and an additional program.
Q: What if I want more flexibility?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: For you Gadget Gurus (like myself), there is a new feature on Perseo that perits you to independently vary G50, G80, and compression threshold. This needs to be configured in the system setup setup> digital> options> Detailed fitting . This feature provides the clinician with the most flexibility of an hearing aid on the market, but it should obviously be used with some caution.
Q: What is dual-base automatic?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Dual-base programming means that the clinician has independent control of both Quiet and NoisySituation programs. Performance may be matched to each users needs in quiet situations without disrupting performance in noisy situations, and vice versa. As a result, fine-tuning of these parameters is easier than a system where only FEATURES are changed in an adaptive system.
Q: Does Perseo have a digital or analog microphone?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: It is a digital microphone on the CIC. There are several advantages of a digital microphone over analog mics. First, increased dynamic range is provided. Additionally, with a digital mic, the analog-to-digital converter is housed within the microphone itself. This eliminates the wire between the AD-converter and the microphone. The wire is the source for ultra-high frequency interference, such as Bluetooth.
AO/Beck: Its time to wrap things up. Can you tell us when we can start ordering Perseo?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Doug, just as a reminder, you can order Perseo right now! All models are available now. You can place your BTE orders by calling us at 800-777-7333, or logging on to www.phonakpro.com.
Perseo is being introduced at a low introductory price for orders placed by March 31. Right now Perseo is being offered at Claro prices. We expect the price to increase in April, so take advantage of this introductory special!
AO/Beck: That is a great offer! I hope everyone takes advantage of this special.
It's time to conclude this Lunch and Learn session. Thank you to everyone who joined us today.
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Thank you, too, Doug. And thanks to hearing professionals around the country who took the time to visit with us online. We are obviously excited about Perseo, and think that you will be too; you really have to hear it hear it to believe it. Phonak will be offering training throughout the country and also prior to the AAA convention. To find out when Phonak will be in your area, simply log onto www.phonakpro.com.
Click here to visit the Phonak website.
For more information on Phonak click here.
---Douglas Beck Au.D., Editor-In-Chief, Audiology Online
AO/Beck: I'd like to welcome you all to the online introduction of Perseo, by Phonak. With me today to tell you about Perseo and answer your questions is Dave Fabry.
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Thanks, Doug. And thanks to everyone who is joining us today - we know that your time is valuable. With me are several of my colleagues from Phonak, including Liz Brassine, Ron Gleitman, Stephanie Monsees, Ruedi Suter, and Laura Voll. We are excited to be using this live format to introduce Perseo. If you haven't done so already, please view the short presentation on Perseo at www.PhonakPro.com. This presentation will give you some background on Perseo and what makes it unique. Also, we encourage you very strongly to stop by the booth at AAA, if you will be attending, to listen to Perseo and get additional information about product features and specifications. If you are not attending AAA, feel free to contact your sales representative to schedule a visit and/or training session.
We hope that this chat provides you with a taste of Perseo that will whet your appetite and leave you hungry for more!
AO/Beck: Dave, can you tell us about Perseo? What makes it special?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: First of all, Perseo serves as the flagship hearing system in Phonak's hearing aid family, combining leading edge, innovative hardware with efficient, flexible, and user-friendly software in one package.
We call it the art and science of hearing aid fitting, in that it enables both experienced and inexperienced clinicians to efficiently optimize hearing aid parameters for each and every patient at the initial fitting session.
Furthermore, using a series of Personal System Managers, they enable the clinician to easily accommodate the patient's changing needs over time. Hearing solutions should be individual, and Perseo offers the ultimate in personalization to achieve that goal.
AO/Beck: Tell us about the Personal System Managers.
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Well, the Perseo Personal System Managers give immediate access to solutions for common fitting issues. Part of the patient's confidence in the product is based on how much—or rather how little--- time it takes to solve these issues.
In essence, the software should make efficient use of your time with the patient in that initial fitting session. Personal System Managers help to create a good first impression and spontaneous acceptance. These Managers comprise an Experience Manager, Occlusion Manager, a dynamic Feedback Manager and the Listening Situation Manager (slide 11 in the presentation on www.phonakpro.com )
AO/Beck: What is a listening situation manager?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: The Listening Situation Manager is the software control for the PersonalLogic system, which has evolved from the original AutoSelect feature. AutoSelect decides, based on an acoustic analysis of the listening environment, which one of two listening programs is automatically selected to ensure optimum speech understanding in quiet or noise. PersonalLogic now makes is possible to efficiently control that automatic function, based on a combination of the user's personal preference and the acoustics of the listening environment. For example, the sensitivity to background noise may be adjusted, using a series of five steps, to change how often Perseo switches between base programs (slide 12 on www.phonakpro.com )
AO/Beck: I also heard that Perseo offers a design manager. Can you tell us a little about that?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Sure. By using the Perseo Design Manager (slide 10 on www.phonakpro.com), the fitter and client work together to select how their instruments will look, how they will operate and what options are available. It's a unique and interactive selection tool that facilitates the right options to be selected for every patient.
AO/Beck: Does Perseo have a feedback manager and if so, how does it work?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Yes, Perseo does have a dynamic Feedback Manager; it is an optional procedure that is fast, comfortable for the patient, and less sensitive to environmental noise than some other methods.
AO/Beck: What does the Occlusion Manager do?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Basically, the occlusion manager is designed to reduce the sound of a person's own voice by lowering gain for the 80 dB input, primarily in the low frequencies, effectively increasing compression ratio. Low-frequency G50 is reduced as well, but to a lesser degree. From the clinician's point of view, however, these adjustments are all made via an adjustment to a slidebar with three steps (you can see it on slide 11 at www.phonakpro.com )
AO/Beck: Is there any special software needed to program Perseo?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Doug, the software for Perseo is called PFG 8.1. This software was sent along with the invitation to this event. No additional software or hardware is needed.
AO/Beck: What models are available?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Sure, Doug. Perseo is available in a full line of products:
Raleigh ENT: Is there a power version?
Liz Brassine/Phonak:The strongest model is the 311 with 65 gain. For more power, we recommend our Supero digital line which is designed specifically for power fittings
AO/Beck: Tell me some more about the remote controls for Perseo.
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Sure, Doug. There are two styles of remote control available:
This new WatchPilot is very sleek and sporty. It is all stainless steel, made in Switzerland, and has the look and feel of a true Swiss watch. In addition, the transmission range has been optimized for use with Perseo, and it the watch is designed to be used at the normal distance required (chest high) to easily read the time on your watch.
The remote control buttons are labeled on the faceplate, with easy access to volume control, program selection and FM function. There is a nice photo of the new WatchPilot 2 on www.PhonakPro.com. (slide 14).
WatchPilot 2 is compatible with ALL digital, remote-controlled Phonak hearing aids, and of course, the original WatchPilot and SoundPilot may also be used with Perseo.
AO/Beck: I heard some of these new instruments are smaller than previous Phonak instruments?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Yes, the new Perseo 111dAZ and 211dAZ BTE are approximately a half-inch shorter than their Claro counterparts. This makes for a compact and attractive package in a full-featured BTE. Incidentally, Perseo uses the same battery cables as for Claro BTE and ITE instruments.
AO/Beck: Any differences with the ITE instruments?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Yes, especially in terms of user controls. The push button/memory selector is standard and integrated into the faceplate of the instrument, giving it a much sleeker design. As always, this switch can be deactivated in the software as way of simplifying the product for a given patient. In addition, all Perseo in-the-ear products are available with eShell (Nemotech process) at no extra charge.
Kathy: What is eShell?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Kathy, Nemotech is the process used for digital manufacturing of ITE,ITC and CIC shells. The product of this process is called eShell. The shells are made of nylon material that is highly durable, has improved biocompatibility, and greater comfort than acrylic shells. Plus, the future advantages include the capability for measuring the ear and compensating for ear canal motion that is simply not provided by the current acrylic shell manufacturing process.
AO/Beck: Phonak has been a leader in FM technology-is this available for the Perseo product line?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Yes, FM can be an integrated solution for the Perseo BTEs and is compatible with all Phonak transmitters.
Questions
Q: WHAT SETS PERSEO APART FROM OTHER ADVANCED DIGITALS ON THE MARKET?Liz Brassine/Phonak: Well, a few of the items include: Dual based programs (true 2 memories for different environments), Personallogic, adaptive zoom, 20 bands of noise cancelation, remote control options, signal processing based on the cochlea.
Q: How is Perseo different than Claro?
In a nutshell, Perseo is designed for new and experienced users who are looking for a hearing instrument with advanced adaptive features, enhanced sound quality, easy personalization of fitting and choice of user operation (namely, automatic, manual program control with Tactronic switch, or via remote control). The choice of one product over another is dependent on the patient's hearing loss, listening needs, and prioritization of size, cost, and available performance features. Phonak provides an entire family of digital options from Perseo, Claro, Aero, and our new digital value line that will be introduced this summer. In addition, Supero is the only digital hearing instrument designed specifically for super-power applications.
Q: Are the differences just software differences?
Regarding your question, there are both hardware and software differences between Perseo and Claro. Essentially, we built on the clinical and listener experiences from ALL other Phonak hearing aids to keep the good elements and refined other areas. For example, the circuitry used in DPP2 uses faster time constants (10 ms attack, 80 ms release times) and different compression kneepoints (30-35 dB for narrow-band stimuli) to improve speech audibility. Furthermore, as we discussed, the Program Managers provide solutions for occlusion management, dynamic feedback reduction, and personalization of Autoselect through PersonalLogic.
If you have a current Claro user who is happy with AutoSelect, available user control options, and sound quality and has no feedback concerns, then we encourage you to have them continue using that device. We are very proud of that circuit, and have hundreds of thousands of successful users who feel the same way. That said, the experience that we have gained from Claro has been used to develop Perseo into the most flexible and personalized hearing aid available from Phonak or any other company. Finally, though, you really have to HEAR the difference between Perseo and Claro, and this forum does not provide a good method for that comparison. We invite to talk to your sale representative for a demonstration, or call Phonak to set up training. Also, if you are attending AAA, please stop by the booth.
Q: Will Perseo be more expensive than Claro?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: The list price of Perseo is slightly more than the list price of Claro. (note the special offer, however)
Q: Will Claro be discontinued?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: No, Claro will continue to serve an important role in the Phonak family, as the elite digital product, positioned in between Perseo and Aero.
Q: Does Perseo come in silver like Claro?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Perseo is not currently available in silver, but will be later this year.
Q: Does Perseo have the mic filter like Claro?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Yes, the microphone protection filter first used in Claro BTEs, has been incorporated into Perseo BTEs. This field-changeable microphone cover does an excellent job at protecting the instruments from moisture and debris. It preserves directionality and prolongs microphone performance. Also, in the Help menu of PFG 8.1, there is a toolbar called Wind and Weather Protection . If clicked, a video is shown in which the microphone filter is changed, which serves as a useful teaching tool for this procedure.
MANAGERS
Q: Listening Manager: How can you change the automatic function? What does PersonalLogic do?Dave Fabry/Phonak: If you think of Autoselect as the first step in automatic detection and adjustment of hearing aid parameters, PersonalLogic is the second step in that evolution towards intelligent hearing aids that analyze the auditory environment and optimize hearing aid settings automatically, based on individual patient preferences.
PersonalLogic may be personalized, via the Listening Situation Manager, to meet individual patient preferences for listening in noise. The clinician may select whether PersonalLogic adapts to noise on the basis of audibility or comfort. Audibility changes to Noisy situation processing only when speech in noise is detected, but not with speech alone or noise alone. Comfort adapts WHENEVER noise is present that exceeds a certain dB level. Are you with me?
The second adjustment that may be made by the clinician is Sensitivity to Noise , which adjusts the dB level at which the program switching from QuietSituations to NoisySituations.
Finally, Contrast may be adjusted, which determines how noticeable the program change is from Quiet to NoisySituations. In essence, it is the degree of the wow effect that the patient will experience, and for Perseos with dAZ, it is primarily the difference between equalized and non-equalized directional response . There are other things that are being changed, but this is the primary effect.
Q: Does Perseo have a feedback manager and if so, how does it work?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: It is all about power consumption at the circuit level. There are essentially three ways to reduce feedback: phase cancellation, notch filtering, and gain reduction. In particular, phase cancellation can use up to 50% of a hearing aid's processing power to monitor and reduce feedback, which is undesirable. The 20-band compression system used in Perseo enables very precise control over gain in a narrow frequency band to preserve audibility and loudness for all listening situations while preventing feedback with no additional influence on power consumption. If you use fewer compression and/or frequency equalization bands, you are correct to say that audibility can be affected, particularly in the high frequencies. In summary, Perseo provides effective feedback suppression through narrow-band gain reduction without sacrificing battery life while maintaining audibility and speech intelligibility.
Q. What does the Occlusion Manager do?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Basically, the occlusion manager is designed to reduce the sound of a person's own voice by lowering gain for the 80 dB input, primarily in the low frequencies, effectively increasing compression ratio. Low-frequency G50 is reduced as well, but to a lesser degree.
FITTING ISSUES
Q: Can you use the LPP with Perseo?Liz Brassine/Phonak: Yes, the Loudness Perception Profile is an optional, loudness scaling procedure that can be used with either Claro or Perseo to set gain and compression across all 20 critical bands. If you choose not to do this procedure during fitting, loudness growth information will be predicted based on your patient's audiometric information. We feel that LPP is yet another tool for personalizing Perseo gain settings after the initial fitting if the patient is experiencing loudness difficulties with pre-calculated gain values.
Q: Does Perseo have a low-battery indicator?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Low-battery indicator is available on Perseo CIC, which uses the smallest battery size and has shorter battery life than other models.
REMOTE CONTROLS
Q: Is the SoundPilot the same as Claro's?Liz Brassine/Phonak: Yes, it is the same SoundPilot for both product lines.
Q: Will the WatchPilot2 work with other Phonak hearing instruments?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Yes, WatchPilot 2 is available now, and it is compatible with ALL digital, remote-controlled Phonak hearing aids. Changing the battery will be a similar process. The transmission distance for WatchPilot2 is optimized for distance at chest level. In addition, the original SoundPilot and WatchPilot may also be used with Perseo.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Q: How many memories does the Perseo CIC have?Liz Brassine/Phonak: All Perseo instruments, including the CIC, have 3 memories. Patients may access these memories via the standard TacTronic memory switch on the CIC. For the 23 dAZ, or any of the BTEs, they may also use either of the optional remote controls—the SoundPilot or WatchPilot.
Q: What is the difference between DPP and DPP2?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Basically, we built on the experience we gained from DPP fittings to provide even better speech intelligibility for quiet and noisy listening situations. Among the changes are faster compression time constants and lower compression thresholds than are used in DPP.
Q. Does Perseo use the Tactronic Switch? How is it set?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Yes, Perseo's TacTronic switch is by default set to PersonalLogic (start program) and P3. if nothing is changed, the user can access the automatic operation and an additional program.
Q: What if I want more flexibility?
Dave Fabry/Phonak: For you Gadget Gurus (like myself), there is a new feature on Perseo that perits you to independently vary G50, G80, and compression threshold. This needs to be configured in the system setup setup> digital> options> Detailed fitting . This feature provides the clinician with the most flexibility of an hearing aid on the market, but it should obviously be used with some caution.
Q: What is dual-base automatic?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Dual-base programming means that the clinician has independent control of both Quiet and NoisySituation programs. Performance may be matched to each users needs in quiet situations without disrupting performance in noisy situations, and vice versa. As a result, fine-tuning of these parameters is easier than a system where only FEATURES are changed in an adaptive system.
Q: Does Perseo have a digital or analog microphone?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: It is a digital microphone on the CIC. There are several advantages of a digital microphone over analog mics. First, increased dynamic range is provided. Additionally, with a digital mic, the analog-to-digital converter is housed within the microphone itself. This eliminates the wire between the AD-converter and the microphone. The wire is the source for ultra-high frequency interference, such as Bluetooth.
AO/Beck: Its time to wrap things up. Can you tell us when we can start ordering Perseo?
Liz Brassine/Phonak: Doug, just as a reminder, you can order Perseo right now! All models are available now. You can place your BTE orders by calling us at 800-777-7333, or logging on to www.phonakpro.com.
Perseo is being introduced at a low introductory price for orders placed by March 31. Right now Perseo is being offered at Claro prices. We expect the price to increase in April, so take advantage of this introductory special!
AO/Beck: That is a great offer! I hope everyone takes advantage of this special.
It's time to conclude this Lunch and Learn session. Thank you to everyone who joined us today.
Dave Fabry/Phonak: Thank you, too, Doug. And thanks to hearing professionals around the country who took the time to visit with us online. We are obviously excited about Perseo, and think that you will be too; you really have to hear it hear it to believe it. Phonak will be offering training throughout the country and also prior to the AAA convention. To find out when Phonak will be in your area, simply log onto www.phonakpro.com.
Click here to visit the Phonak website.
For more information on Phonak click here.
