Pure Offers the Ultimate Combination of Discretion, Power and Customizable Options for People With Mild to Moderately Severe Hearing Loss
Charlotte, N.C., April 2, 2008 - One in every ten Americans has hearing loss, and this number is expected to double as the baby boomers reach retirement age and beyond, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America. Only 22 percent of those with hearing loss currently use hearing instruments, but now there is a solution for people who may be hesitant to wear a hearing instrument because of the fear of being perceived differently or feeling "old."
Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc., a leading manufacturer of hearing instruments in the United States, today introduced Pure®, a nearly invisible hearing instrument designed for individuals with mild to moderately severe hearing loss. Featuring Siemens exclusive SoundBrilliance and SoundSmoothing® technologies, Pure is being unveiled at the American Academy of Audiology's 20th Annual AudiologyNOW! Conference, being held from April 2 to 5, 2008, in Charlotte, N.C. (Booth #1825).
"Many people simply do not want to be seen wearing a hearing instrument, creating one of the biggest barriers to people who could truly benefit from wearing one," said Dr. Thomas Powers, Vice President of Audiology and Professional Relations at Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc. "Siemens designed Pure to be the most discreet instrument on the market, blending seamlessly into the wearer's daily life and activities. It is the only combination of an ultra small, powerful and very discreet hearing instrument for people with up to moderately severe hearing loss."
Purely Discreet, Technologically Advanced
Pure features Siemens exclusive SoundSmoothing technology, the world's first transient noise suppression technology. In a recent study conducted at the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) noise-reduction algorithm used in SoundSmoothing to reduce non-speech transient sounds was shown to offer benefits to the hearing aid wearer in terms of comfort, with no noticeable effect on speech intelligibility or localization. Pure also includes SoundBrilliance, a new technology which enhances the perception of higher pitched sounds,
Pure is available in two performance levels and in the smallest available RIC (Receiver-in-Canal) and CIC (Completely-in-Canal) configurations. It was engineered to provide the exact strength the wearer needs with the flexibility of three different power levels (S-Receiver 45 dB, M-Receiver 55 dB, P-Receiver 65 dB). It automatically synchronizes, analyzes, and adjusts volume and sound processing so the wearer does not have to alter the device in various listening environments.
With its TruEar™* technology and e2e® wireless 2.0, Pure gives wearers the ability to localize the source of sound from all directions, thus enabling them to hear more naturally. TruEar technology simulates the acoustical functions of the outer ear and assists wearers in distinguishing sounds in front of them from those behind them, while the e2e wireless 2.0 technology creates a unified system by wirelessly synchronizing both instruments.
Equipped with Siemens new advanced FeedbackBlocker™, Pure searches for feedback patterns in sound frequencies and automatically reduces or eliminates them. It also features a set of advanced Speech and Noise Management technologies that combine to automatically identify and reduce environmental background noise to a comfortable level, while isolating and selectively enhancing speech. eWindscreen® constantly monitors the wearer's environment for wind noise and then automatically softens it.
Pure also offers an on-board automatic and multi-channel adaptive directional microphone*, making it easier for users to understand speech from someone in front of them, while reducing noise signals that come from either side or behind them. This feature has been clinically proven to improve speech clarity in noisy situations like parties or restaurants.
Additionally, Pure offers Siemens patented DataLearning® feature to automatically learn the wearer's volume preferences in different environments, and enhanced SoundLearning™, which not only remembers volume preferences, but also learns the wearer's sound quality preferences independently for loud and soft sounds.
Also available is ProPocket™, a remote control which provides easy fingertip control over virtually all instrument functions, and is small enough to fit into a purse or pocket.
Pure is rechargeable*, with only five hours of charging being sufficient to power the instrument all day. However, Pure also operates normally with standard zinc air batteries.
*Only available in RIC configuration.
About Siemens Healthcare
Siemens Healthcare is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in knowledge engineering, including information technology and system integration. With its laboratory diagnostics acquisitions, Siemens Healthcare is the first fully integrated diagnostics company, bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy, and healthcare information technology solutions, supplemented by consulting and support services. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care - from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. The company employs more than 48,000 people worldwide and operates in 130 countries. In the fiscal year 2007 (Sept. 30), Siemens Healthcare reported sales of 9.85 billion, orders of 10.27 billion, and group profit of 1.32 billion. Further information can be found by visiting www.siemens.com/healthcare or the Siemens Web Channel on Audiology Online.
