New audiological concepts in Agil are designed to preserve the natural characteristics of speech, while enriching the sound quality to enable the brain to use fewer of its resources for listening purposes. As a result, the end-user should have more residual energy for other important tasks such as full social interaction.
"Researchers have long been aware that preserving as much of the original signal as possible is key to reducing the listening effort and revolutionizing speech intelligibility," states Oticon President Peer Lauritsen. "In essence, this is what Agil brings within reach."
The new Agil family offers an extensive range of premium features and end-user benefits:
- Excellent speech understanding in noise
- Significant reduction in the cognitive efforts needed to understand speech, leaving more mental energy to reflect, remember and respond
- Improved audio through wireless technology for open fittings and enhanced 3D listening
- New audiological concepts: Speech Guard, Spatial Sound 2.0 and Connect(+)
- New RISE II processing platform with twice the calculation power of RISE
- New cosmetically attractive miniRITE styles - 30 percent smaller than Epoq
- Highly flexible RITE speaker solution in three speaker power levels, covering mild to severe losses with the same instrument
- New Power CIC, allowing users with severe hearing losses to be fitted with a very small custom solution
- Two performance levels: Agil and Agil Pro
- Fully ConnectLine compatible
"Oticon's three years of experience with wireless audiology and connectivity has provided valuable insights that have enabled us to bring forward a superior hearing solution," explains Lauritsen. "Agil introduces three new audiological concepts that significantly expand and improve upon the many advanced features already available in Oticon Epoq."
Agil's Spatial Sound 2.0 is an advanced binaural processing system that preserves naturally occurring spatial cues and emphasizes the ear with better SNR ratio for improved understanding when necessary. Speech Guard is a breakthrough dual analysis signal processing technology that improves speech by preserving the fine modulation and details of the sound signal even in environments where sound levels change rapidly or where audibility of soft sounds would be a challenge to conventional compressions systems. Connect(+) significantly improves the sound quality of streamed music by restoring the rich bass frequencies typically lost through open fittings and by introducing a whole new sense of space and realism.
New miniRITE, CIC Power and Three Speaker Power Levels
The new product family is available at two price points: Agil Pro and Agil, with each offering the most comprehensive style and fitting range launched as one brand includiung RITE/RITE Power, BTE/BTE Power, CIC/CIC Power and other custom styles and fitting options. There is an Agil style to cover virtually any premium hearing care need.
"With Agil, US hearing care professionals will be able to offer a whole new class of performance to patients seeking the very best hearing that state-of-the-art wireless technology and audiological expertise can deliver," says Lauritsen.
Agil will be available for sale from March 15. For further information, visit oticonusa.com or the Oticon Web Channel on Audiology Online.
