Cochlear Brings Leading Hearing Technology to Android Smartphone Users

CENTENNIAL, Colo., June 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH), the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, announces the upcoming release of the Nucleus^® Smart App for Android^™ in the United States and Canada, offering greater connectivity than ever before for people with hearing loss and a cochlear implant. Cochlear implant recipients with the Nucleus^® 7 Sound Processor can now control their hearing with the Nucleus Smart App* from a compatible Android device, allowing them to monitor and adjust their settings, view personalized hearing information and even locate a missing sound processor, all from the convenience of their smartphone. 

Since the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor was first launched in 2017 as the world's first Made for iPhone cochlear implant sound processor**, Cochlear has been working to extend the benefits of its industry-leading technology to Android smartphone users.¹  

"Embracing digital technologies that enhance the experience and hearing performance for our customers is a key focus of our product innovation," said Tony Manna, President, Cochlear Americas. "With the launch of the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor last year, we were the first in our industry to introduce a Made for iPhone cochlear implant sound processor, still the only one to offer direct streaming to a compatible Apple device. Now we are pleased to offer Android users the ability to use the Nucleus Smart App to track their hearing and access new features. We are committed to giving people who are living with disabling hearing loss greater choices when it comes to controlling their hearing experience."

Along with the release of the Nucleus Smart App for Android, Cochlear has also added a first-of-its-kind control feature called ForwardFocus*** available to compatible smartphone users of the app. The user-activated control feature allows the wearer to hear better in a challenging listening environment such as a noisy restaurant. When switched on, the ForwardFocus feature reduces distracting noise coming from behind a person so they can more easily enjoy a face-to-face conversation.² 

The Nucleus Smart App, which is exclusively compatible with the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor, offers a range of first-of-its-kind features for users. From locating a lost or misplaced sound processor using the Find My Processor feature, to confidently tracking progress with the Hearing Tracker feature, or reducing noise from behind with the ForwardFocus feature, users can experience unprecedented connectivity and performance in managing their hearing.  

"We live in a world where consumers expect to be easily connected to technology, and consumers should expect to get innovative, accessible technology out of their medical devices too," said Patricia Trautwein, AuD, Vice President, Marketing and Product Management, Cochlear Americas. "At Cochlear, we are proud to be the first in the hearing implant industry to provide convenient monitoring tools and direct connectivity to smartphones. We want our recipients to be able to take control of their hearing performance like they may do already with their fitness and health and how they are accustomed to connecting with their other consumer electronics."

In addition to the new connectivity and performance features, the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor will be available for the first time to people with a Nucleus 24 Series Implant (CI24R/CI24M).³ This means thousands more people from all over the world living with disabling hearing loss will be able to experience the innovative Nucleus 7 Sound Processor technology for the first time.

The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is the world's smallest and lightest behind-the-ear cochlear implant sound processor.⁴ This year the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor received international acknowledgement from leading design and technology award bodies, including a Red Dot for Product Design 2018 and a Good Design Award^® Best in Class in the Product Design category for outstanding design and innovation.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the impact of hearing loss is substantial around the world and in the United States. Hearing loss affects 466 million people worldwide and almost 50 million Americans.^5,6 These figures are projected to grow to 900 million with one in every 10 people around the globe having hearing loss by 2050.⁵

There are approximately 72 million people who could potentially benefit from the use of a hearing device, such as a cochlear implant or a hearing aid.⁷ Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for more than 30 years, cochlear implants are the only proven medical treatment option for those with severe to profound hearing loss.

Availability of the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor differs from country to country. The anticipated availability of the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor for Nucleus 24 Series Implant recipients, Android compatibility with the Nucleus Smart App and ForwardFocus in the United States and Canada is late summer 2018.

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About Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH)

Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. The company has a global workforce of more than 3,500 people and invests more than AUD$150 million a year in research and development. Products include hearing systems for cochlear implants, bone conduction implants and acoustic implants, which are designed to treat a range of moderate to profound types of hearing loss.

Over 450,000 people of all ages, across more than 100 countries, now hear because of Cochlear.
www.cochlear.com/US

References

1. Apple Inc. 'Compatible hearing devices' [Internet]. Apple support. 30 March, 2018 [cited May 2018]. Available from: https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201466.
2. Cochlear Limited. D1376556.CLTD5709 Acceptance and Performance with the Nucleus 7 Cochlear Implant System with Adult Recipients. 2018 Jan; data on file.
3. Cochlear Limited.D1224199-1, NEO-XS Extensions System Project Version 7.0 RC1 System End to End Verification Report, 1.D. 2017, May; data on file. 
4. Cochlear Limited. D1190805.CP1000 Processor Size Comparison.2017 Mar; data on file.
5. Deafness and hearing loss fact sheet [Internet]. World Health Organization; c2018 [cited 5 March 2018]. Available from: https://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/.
6. Listen Up! Protect Your Hearing (infographic) [Internet]. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders; c2017 [cited 5 March 2018]. Available from: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/listen-infographic.
7. World Health Organization. 10 Facts on Deafness [Internet]. Updated April 2017 [cited June 2017]. Available from: https://www.who.int/features/factfiles/deafness/en/.

* The Nucleus Smart App is compatible with iPhone 5 (or later) and iPod 6th generation devices (or later) running iOS 10.0 or later. To use the Nucleus Smart App for Android, your device will need to run Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or later and support Bluetooth 4.0 or later. For a list of verified devices, visit https://www.nucleussmartapp.com/android.

** The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is compatible with iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone SE, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPad Pro (12.9-inch), iPad Pro (9.7-inch), iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2, iPad mini, iPad (4th generation) and iPod touch (6th generation) using iOS 10.0 or later.

*** ForwardFocus can only be enabled by a hearing implant specialist. It should only be activated for users 12 years and older who are able to reliably provide feedback on sound quality and understand how to use the feature when moving to different or changing environments. It may be possible to have decreased speech understanding when using ForwardFocus in a quiet environment.

Apple, the Apple logo, FaceTime, Made for iPad logo, Made for iPhone logo, Made for iPod logo, iPhone, iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Android is a trademark of Google LLC. The Android robot is reproduced or modified from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.

Information accurate as of May 2018.

© Cochlear Limited 2018. All rights reserved. Hear Now And Always and other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of Cochlear Limited.