Powering DEEPSONIC: Mythbusting Around Audéo Sphere Infinio Battery Usage

Whenever ground-breaking technologies are introduced, it’s common that questions arise and additional clarification is needed. In this Q&A we learn more about battery usage with Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio aids and what it means for patient use.

AudiologyOnline: Why is battery life a topic that comes up when we start talking about AI?

Erika Porter, AuD: You’ve likely heard the buzz around the launch of Sphere hearing aids. The excitement centers on the enhanced speech understanding in noise, made possible by Phonak Audéo Sphere™ Infinio’s dedicated AI chip. The DEEPSONIC™ chip hosts a deep neural network (DNN) designed to separate speech from noise in real-time, regardless of direction, leading to remarkable speech intelligibility improvements and reduction in listening effort.¹

Different types of AI systems have different power needs. Machine learning algorithms like our AutoSenseOS^TM are very efficient, making it a good option for day to day processing. A DNN like DEEPSONIC performs billions of operations per second, requiring more power to support the advanced processing. Anytime there are changes to how hearing aids utilize AI, the topic of power needs arises.

AudiologyOnline: What sets Audéo Sphere Infinio apart?

Erika Porter, AuD: Historically, the combination of device size, power demands, and chip space have limited the use of DNNs in hearing aids. That meant that those manufacturers using DNNs had to share space on their chips with other function and limit capabilities to match the available power, sometimes referred to as “small DNNs.” 

Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio is the first instrument using a dedicated AI chip. DEEPSONIC was developed by Phonak as there were no commercially available chips that combined the needed processing power in an acceptable size and power efficient manner. With this chip, we’re able to leverage a large DNN in a package suitable for on-ear wear.

AudiologyOnline: With the higher power requirements of a DNN, does that mean the aid doesn’t last all day?

Erika Porter, AuD: Not at all!  While a dedicated DNN chip does take more power to run than those with a small DNN integrated into their processing chip, in normal use these devices do last a full day for the patient. In fact, our data shows that on average, Sphere-wearers are using their hearing aids even longer each day than people wearing our previous platform. And let's be clear: the benefits of powerful AI-driven technology made possible by a dedicated DNN chip are simply not possible with any other existing hearing aid technology.

AudiologyOnline: Well then, is on-demand DNN a concession to save battery life?

Erika Porter, AuD: Nope. Hearing aids use AIs for different reasons. When used to identify the listening situation, the DNN needs to always be on. Phonak devices use AutoSenseOS, which is driven by machine learning, to identify and automatically adjust to the sound environment. With Sphere, the dedicated AI chip uses a large DNN to instantly separate speech from noise. This is only active when there is background noise. Imagine you had a task light that really helped you focus on what you were working on. Would you rather have it on dimly all the time, or switch it on at full brightness when you really needed it? 

AudiologyOnline: How do you know the DNN in Infinio Sphere won’t completely drain the battery?

Erika Porter, AuD: That would not be a great experience for the patient, would it? At default settings, there is enough battery for a full day of multi-use listening for your patient. When we tested the aids, we used a combination of environments and program activations to ensure patients would get a full day’s use. Additionally, you and your patient can control the limits for how long Spheric Speech Clarity can be active from a single charge or set up the program so users can see the remaining battery life in the myPhonak app when the DNN is active. 

AudiologyOnline: Any final words?

Erika Porter, AuD: I often explain to patients that hearing aids are computers they wear on their ears. It’s amazing what something so small can accomplish. Remember:

• Battery life is a function of how a hearing aid is designed, the available features of the technology, and how heavily the advanced features are used.
• Not all DNNs are the same: small DNNs that classify sound scenes can (and need to) be always-on, whereas the large DNN using AI-driven technology to do advanced sound cleaning in Sphere is activated when needed.
• Sphere users are on average wearing their hearing aids even longer than those in previous technology, which consistently provides a full day of use.

Remember, as questions arise around new technology, there is a Phonak team on hand to help separate, like Infinio Sphere, but in this case fact from fiction.

References

1. Wright et al. (2024). Spheric Speech Clarity applies DNN processing to significantly improve speech understanding from any direction and reduce the listening effort. Phonak Field Study News, retrieved from phonak.com/evidence.