Phonak to strengthen its market position by expanding industry leading rechargeable portfolio.
Stäfa (Switzerland), February 14th, 2018 – Phonak, the leading global innovator for hearing instruments and wireless communication solutions, today announces the extension of its latest-generation Belong platform with Phonak Naída™ B and Phonak Sky™ B hearing aids. The addition of a lithium-ion rechargeable Naída B-R RIC, Sky B-PR and CROS B-R (a solution for single-sided deafness) further expands the company’s industry-leading portfolio of rechargeable hearing aids while bolstering its technology leadership position in the power and pediatric markets. Phonak is also announcing the debut of groundbreaking Roger™ MultiBeam Technology, available in the new Roger Select™ microphone as well as Roger Table Mic II.
“Around the world, hearing care professionals trust Phonak to deliver innovative hearing solutions that solve even the most challenging situations,” said Thomas Lang, Senior Vice President of Phonak Marketing. “Today Phonak builds on this legacy of trust by introducing products that redefine expectations in power, pediatrics and Roger connectivity. Our now-complete Belong platform portfolio means professionals have the flexibility to offer the industry’s most comprehensive rechargeable suite of hearing solutions to ensure the best possible care.”
Phonak Naída B: Introducing the 5th generation of the world’s most trusted power hearing aid
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 36 million people worldwide live with severe to profound hearing loss[1]. Left untreated, these individuals have extreme difficulty communicating with others, often relying on lip reading and/or sign language.[2] One study found the societal costs of this degree of hearing loss in the U.S. alone to be nearly $300,000 over the lifetime of each person, most of this attributed to reduced work productivity.[3]
The Phonak Naída B product portfolio was specifically developed to address the unique and complex challenges faced by this client group. Now in its 5th generation, Phonak Naída B provides the flexibility to meet these clients’ sound processing needs with an additional dedicated fitting formula – Adaptive Phonak Digital Contrast. In addition, Phonak Naída B default first fit provides the industry’s best Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) results[4] for clients with severe to profound hearing loss and enhanced performance in noise when combined with Roger wireless solutions. For the first time, Naída comes in a rechargeable Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) option, offering the most feature-rich rechargeable hearing aid from Phonak, dedicated to users with severe to profound hearing loss.
Phonak Sky B: Unlocking a child’s full potential
Ears can be thought of as ‘doorways’ to the brain, and hearing loss as a ‘doorway problem’.[5] A child’s growing brain must have access to clear and meaningful auditory information for timely language development and academic readiness. In fact, children need to hear approximately 45 million words by the age of 4 years to be ready for school.[6]
Research tells us that providing children with optimal hearing solutions or ‘doorway opening devices’ from an early age directly impacts how well they will succeed.[7]
With 45 years of experience developing life-changing hearing solutions for children, Phonak through the Sky B along with proven Roger technology opens obstructed ‘doorways’ and provides the clear sound quality needed to unlock children’s full potential and ensure they succeed.
The Sky B portfolio features AutoSense Sky OS, the only operating system built specifically for children, and SoundRecover2 which gives children access to a broader range of sounds essential for speech and language development.[8],[9] Phonak now offers a rechargeable option, Sky B-PR, that gives children a full day of uninterrupted hearing on a single charge.[10]
MultiBeam Technology takes Roger to the next level
In 2013, Phonak introduced proprietary Roger 2.4 GHz wireless technology, setting a new benchmark for hearing in noise and over distance by transmitting a speaker’s voice directly to the listener. Five years later, the next generation of proven Roger performance and ease of use comes in the form of MultiBeam Technology (MBT). This technology uses three microphones to form six directional beams within 360 degrees. When a microphone with MBT is placed on a table, it automatically selects the speaker to improve the speech understanding in group conversations and noisy situations.
Roger Select™ and Roger Table Mic II are the first products to make use of MBT. Roger Select is a versatile microphone that uses MBT to help people with hearing loss hear better in noisy restaurants or other gatherings. Three distinct modes (automatic, manual, lapel) allow wireless hearing in a variety of conversations and environments. The Roger Table Mic II is the successor to the Roger Table Mic, now featuring MBT. The microphone is ideal for working adults who need to actively participate in meetings.
Also announced today is the Roger Repeater, which extends the operating range of any Roger network in the Roger for Education portfolio and is ideal for large school applications like auditoriums and gymnasiums.
The Phonak Naída B and Sky B will be available in the U.S. starting February 19th, with the rest of the world to follow in March. All new Roger products as well as CROS- B-R will be available later in spring 2018.
Citations
[1] World Health Organization, Global estimates on prevalence of hearing loss https://www.who.int/pbd/
[2] European Group on genetics of hearing impairment. Martini A (Ed.), European Commission Directorate, Biomedical and Health Research Programme (HEAR) Infoletter 2, November 1996, 8.
[3] Mohr, P., Feldman, J., Dunbar, J., McConkey-Robbins, A., Niparko, J., Rittenhouse, R., & Skinner, M. (2000). THE SOCIETAL COSTS OF SEVERE TO PROFOUND HEARING LOSS IN THE UNITED STATES. International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 16(04), 1120-1135.
[4] Field Study News under development. Full details available in spring 2018 at www.phonakpro.com/evidence
[5] Flexer, Carol (2018). The ears are doorways to the brain. Phonak Insight, retrieved from www.phonakpro.com/evidence, accessed February 19th, 2018.
[6] Hart, B. & Risley, T. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
[7] McCreery, R. W., Walker, E. A., Spratford, M., Bentler, R., Holte, L., Roush, P., & Moeller, M. P. (2015). Longitudinal predictors of aided speech audibility in infants and children. Ear and Hearing, 36 Suppl 1, 24–37.
[8] Feilner, M., Rich, S., & Jones, C. (2016). Automatic and directional for kids - Scientific background and implementation of pediatric optimized automatic functions. Phonak Insight, retrieved from www.phonakpro.com/evidence, accessed February 19th, 2018.
[9] Rehmann, J., Jha, S., & Allegro Baumann, S. (2016). SoundRecover2 – the adaptive frequency compression algorithm. More audibility of high frequency sounds. Phonak Insight, retrieved from www.phonakpro.com/evidence, accessed February 19th, 2018.
[10] Stephenson, B., Omisore, D., Pedersen, H. M., & Taphuntsang (2016). The Phonak rechargeable solution. Field Study News, retrieved from www.phonakpro.com/evidence, accessed February 19th, 2018.
About Phonak
Headquartered near Zurich, Switzerland, Phonak, a member of the Sonova Group, was created in 1947 out of a passion for taking on the most difficult hearing challenges. Seventy years later, this passion remains. As the industry’s leading innovator, we offer the broadest portfolio of life-changing hearing solutions. From pediatric to profound hearing loss, we remain committed to creating hearing solutions that change people’s lives to thrive socially and emotionally. We believe in creating a world where ‘Life is on’ for everyone. For more information, please visit www.phonak.com, www.phonakpro.com, www.phonakpro.com/roger-table-
