Innovative waterproof, dust and impact resistant hearing instrument Aquaris™ from Siemens Hearing Instruments is helping users stay safe on the water, and is opening up new opportunities, previously off limits to those with hearing loss. Aquaris efficiently repels water, perspiration and dust, and is designed for people with hearing loss who enjoy the water via sailing, kayaking, waterskiing or swimming.
Sailor, windsurfing instructor and company director, Chris Cooper, lost his hearing suddenly aged 50. At the time Chris was a musician, water sports fanatic and loved stand up comedy. "Losing your hearing is like losing your best friend - you grieve, get angry, try and place blame. Your confidence disappears with hearing loss and your life can easily become full of things you can't do. Then when you come to terms with it, you start to experiment with technology to help you overcome the issues you face."
He continues, "My passion is water but I retreated from the sailing world when I lost my hearing as I no longer felt safe. I was worried I wouldn't hear the VHF radio and alarms on the boat - let alone jump in the pool with my kids on holiday, or learn a new water sport."
Speaking on the Aquaris trial from Siemens Hearing Instruments, he states, "Aquaris tips all of that on its head. It allows you to start to focus on all the things you can do and knocks over the obstacles hearing loss creates. I want to be able to do as much as possible in life and I'd love to take up more water sports. Aquaris allows you to do that as you can take instructions from a tutor on the water, something not usually possible with hearing loss. In a dinghy or on a yacht you can head out on the water, knowing you can communicate with your crew, speak and be alert to danger, knowing your hearing instrument will handle what gets thrown at it. Aquaris can give you the confidence to enjoy the lifestyle you want to have."
With a special watertight housing, sealed battery compartment and watertight but air-permeable microphone membrane, Aquaris offers complete protection from the elements, without compromising sound quality. It also includes a dedicated swimming program inside the hearing instrument which deals with the special acoustic conditions encountered during swimming.
When combined with a custom-made soft ear mould, it is waterproof to a depth of one metre for 30 minutes. A scratchproof, rubber-like surface holds the device securely behind the ear and an optional attachable sports clip adds extra security to prevent it from slipping during exercise or high winds. It is also compatible with miniTek, a wireless remote streamer for hearing instruments, which uses Bluetooth® technology to automatically stream sound between a hearing device and television, mobile phone or MP3 player.
For further information visit www.siemens.co.uk/hearing or the Siemens web channel on AudiologyOnline.
