Denver, Colorado, April 19, 2007- Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc., one of the leading manufacturers of hearing instruments in the United States, today announced the introduction of the next generation of the popular ARTIS™ and CIELO™ instruments. The new families of hearing solutions -- ARTIS™ 2 and CIELO™ 2 -- deliver more advanced technology, better hearing comfort, ease of use, and are designed to be fit for each wearers' unique needs. They will be available to customers beginning in May.
"ARTIS 2 now offers technology such as DataLearningTM and e2e wirelessTM, which recognizes and supports wearers' individual needs and preferences," said Dr. Thomas Powers, Vice President of Audiology and Professional Relations at Siemens Hearing Instruments. "It is designed for wearers who want to appreciate all that life has to offer."
For advanced performance, Siemens has equipped ARTIS 2 with DataLearning technology that automatically learns and adjusts to wearers' volume preferences enabling volume control changes to be significantly reduced and virtually unrecognizable by most people after just one week of use. In addition, ARTIS 2's DataLearning feature allows a faster and more precise fitting by recording usage data that enables the Hearing Care Professional to fine tune the instrument and counsel the wearer.
ARTIS 2 also offers Siemens proprietary technology, e2e (ear-to-ear) wireless, which enables the left and right hearing instruments to communicate with each other and make decisions regarding system settings to ensure that the wearer receives the best sound from both instruments. The result is a natural and effortless binaural hearing, including precise sound localization, harmonized volume and program settings, and better hearing comfort in noisy environments. ARTIS 2 also includes feedback cancellation, which reduces or eliminates feedback or whistling that can occur with other hearing instruments.
"ARTIS 2 and CIELO 2 represent a breakthrough in hearing instrument design among its class and offers even greater hearing comfort and convenience," Dr. Powers said.
CIELO 2 is equipped with a data logging feature that collects information on hearing preferences such as duration of instrument use, volume control position, hearing environments, volume changes, and program usage. The information obtained from data logging can be used for easier fine tuning of the instruments, resulting in a more customized fitting.
"We designed the CIELO 2 family of hearing solutions with top-of-the-line established technologies, including data logging, automatic and adaptive directional microphones, and speech and noise management," Dr. Powers said. "With these technologies, wearers will experience a hearing solution that is most comfortable so that they can enjoy life's moments - hassle-free."
Several of Siemens breakthrough technologies are incorporated into both ARTIS 2 and CIELO 2:
- With the environmental classification system, the instruments analyze incoming signals and based on the hearing environment optimizes the noise reduction and speech enhancement features, as well as the directional microphone mode. As a result, the hearing performance is optimized for the specific listening situation, even in complex environments.
- Also included is a wind noise reduction system which automatically detects and adapts to wind conditions for maximum comfort. For even greater performance and reliability in all environments, ARTIS 2 is equipped with the adaptive eWindScreenTM technology.
- The speech and noise management system provides a comfortable and natural hearing experience minimizing intrusive noises that can be bothersome for the wearer through its noise reduction and speech enhancement capabilities.
An additional option is a high performance directional microphone system. This system enables the hearing instruments to automatically adapt to the current listening situation and optimize system settings to improve speech intelligibility in noisy situations.
AutoPhone is also available for ARTIS 2 and CIELO 2 and allows for an easier, more comfortable listening experience on the telephone. It automatically switches to a telephone or telecoil program when used with either cordless or portable telephones.
Siemens is fully committed to providing a complete program of pediatric hearing solutions. Many ARTIS 2 and CIELO 2 BTE models are equipped with state-of-the-art pediatric technology designed to maximize children's ability to hear and acquire language, and to support their educational needs. All key features can be enabled or disabled as needed to meet the growing needs of the child.
About Siemens Hearing Instruments
Siemens Hearing Instruments, part of Siemens Medical Solutions, is one of the leading manufacturers of hearing instruments in the United States. Headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey, the Company offers a range of innovative products, solutions and services to Hearing Care Professionals across the United States. Among its innovative products, the Company designs and manufactures a variety of digital hearing aids in all styles to improve the quality of life for individuals with hearing loss. Visit www.usa.siemens.com/hearing for more information or the Siemens Web Channel on Audiology Online at www.audiologyonline.com/channels/siemens.asp
