Have your hearing aid fine tuned while you are sitting at home, what’s not to like?

Sivantos, formerly Siemens and now the artist that calls themselves Signia, has introduced a truly groundbreaking innovation in collaborative hearing care. They have introduced the first hearing aid app that has deep user/professional communications and the ability for a professional to fine tune hearing aids remotely. We know groundbreaking is used quite a bit, but this is truly earth shattering.

So first I think we need to clear up the confusion of the names, Sivantos is the private business that bought Siemens Hearing Aids from Siemens. They have the rights to use Siemens in their branding, Signia, is what they have begun to call their hearing aid brands. So at anyone time they can be Siemens, Sivantos and Signia, there not confusing at all (the voices in my head just giggled). 

Communicating with your professional

Well those lads just introduced a new app called “myHearing” at EUHA (international hearing aid conference in Germany). The app makes it possible for hearing aid users to directly contact their hearing care professional anywhere while wearing their hearing aids. They have the option to use different “CareChat” communication channels with the hearing care professional and also access a cloud-based knowledge tool for guided assistance on how to use and handle their new hearing aids.

Monitoring your progress

At the same time, hearing care professionals can monitor the progress of the user. The real game changer though is the fact that the professional can provide certain setting changes remotely. In essence, for the first time the professional can fine tune the devices on the go remotely.  

With TeleCare, they say they are targeting the initial phase when a person with hearing loss first begins to wear hearing aids. Up to now, the user has been given a relatively large amount of information and is then sent on their way until a follow up. The app is designed to plug the gap during that period, allowing the user to undertake structured listening tasks and access the information needed at their leisure. 

However, I see a huge market for this type of telehealth approach, it will mean that users will not have to wait until a physical appointment to have some settings changed or to deliver feedback. Like the Patient Insights app from Unitron which we have discussed, this will allow users to collaborate with their care professionals in a deeper manner.

A Simple process

It is a simple enough process, the professional loads up the app on the user’s smartphone (iphone or Android) at the first visit. The app communicates via secure channels with a cloud portal that the professional has access to. 

What does it offer you?

So why should you buy into it, what does it offer you?

• Listening exercises
• Guided assistance
• Personal progress: Feedback & ratings
• CareChat: Text, voice and video communication
• Frequently asked questions
• Remote control function

So you have access to an extensive knowledge database in the cloud via the app. It automatically shows only the information that is relevant for the devices you are wearing, so you know the information is always relevant to you.

It gives you access to handling videos which clearly explain the typical questions that arise with first-time wearers Things like:

• How do I place my hearing aids in my ears?
• How do I take them out?
• How do I change the batteries?
• How do I change the programmes?
• How do I adjust the volume?
• How do I clean the devices?

And quite a bit more than that which means that the professional can concentrate on helping you hear better.  It also offers targeted listening and handling exercises in coordinated stages which the professional can track.

Quick and easy contact with your hearing care professional

If you are having a problem getting an answer from the knowledge tool, you can quickly and directly contact the hearing professional with just one click via the app. You can do so by calling or text message. The daily rating system in the app also allows the hearing professional to monitor and respond to your experiences. 

Remote adjustment of hearing aids

For the first time hearing care professional can remotely change certain parameters of the hearing aids. This allows almost instant response to feedback about experiences of a user in different situations. The changes are made in the professional’s portal and then sent directly to the app. You are informed that there are new settings on the app and you can accept them.

This is going to catch on

We think this is a fantastic leap forward for both hearing care professionals and hearing aid wearers. We think that it can only strengthen customer satisfaction. Your contact with the hearing professional as well as the handling of your hearing aids is simplified. It also means that you don’t necessarily have to physically attend the office every time you want a change made. That has to be a good thing. 

We think that this is another innovation that will see widespread adoption across the hearing aid industry. We know that Unitron have been thinking about this for some time and we discussed the possibilities of cloud based data for hearing aids before. It is a technology that makes sense for everyone involved and it is good to see a disruptive innovation like this come from within the hearing aid industry. 

The system from Sivantos will work with all Signia hearing aids and is optimised for the entire primax platform (Ace, Pure, Motion and Insio as well as the new Cellion and Silk). The market launch is currently taking place in Germany and the USA. By the end of the year, it will occur across Europe and in early 2017 in Asia.

If you like what you see, share it so others can benefit

Following on from the recent question we had “Is Micro-Suction Ear Wax Removal Safe”, I decided to do a deeper article on the pros and cons of the procedure. In general, micro-suction ear wax removal is a safe procedure, however, like all medical procedures, there can be unintended problems. So let’s take a look at the process and what you really need to know.

Why is micro-suction so popular?

Micro-suction as a tool for ear wax removal has been around for a very long time. Generally, most ENT departments used micro-suction to remove ear wax from the ear canals of people with perforations or large cavities after mastoid operations. The reason was simple, removal of ear wax using water could be dangerous for these people.

Hearing care professionals began to provide ear wax removal as a service several years ago in the UK because it was becoming more difficult to have a GP ( General Practitioner, Medical Doctor) provide the service. GPs are under pressure and ear wax removal takes time.

Initially most UK and Irish based hearing care professionals provided ear wax removal with irrigation. However, a few micro-suction courses were set up and as people became certified, more and more professionals offered it. It seems to have taken off in the minds of consumers and most have heard about it and will request it. 

What are the pros of micro-suction?

Unlike ear syringing or even the safer ear irrigation, there is no water used, which means less mess generally. When undertaking micro-suction, the canal and the ear wax is being directly viewed with a microscope or a set of loupes (microscopic glasses) whilst it is being removed. This makes the procedure much quicker, safer and comfortable for the patient. The pros of this type of ear wax removal include:

• No water used, so no mess
• A clear view of the ear canal while the work is being done which makes it safer
• Completely safe for people with perforations of the eardrum
• Completely safe for people with large mastoid cavities from surgical work

Although micro-suction can be undertaken without the use of cerumenolytics (ear wax removal drops or sprays), it really appears that it is a good idea to use them for a few days before you have the procedure. All the evidence and my own personal experience appears to show that it will make the procedure far easier for you. On that point, always try to buy a cerumenolytic that comes in a spray bottle. It just makes it easier for you to apply and be confident that it will coat the ear wax and be absorbed. 

What are the cons of micro-suction?

As with all medical procedures, there can be problems, generally though, problems are rare. The risks are as follows:

• Possible damage to or infection of the skin of the ear canal or the eardrum
• Possible perforation of the eardrum
• The procedure is noisy and may cause a temporary shift in your hearing thresholds
• The procedure may start or aggravate any existing tinnitus
• The procedure may cause temporary dizziness or discomfort

Let’s take a look at them individually, first up, damage to the ear canal and perforation of the eardrum. Generally speaking, there are two ways that damage to the ear canal or eardrum can happen. The first is if you move suddenly and the canula jabs into you. We take exceptional care to ensure that we brace our hand while the cannula is anywhere near your ear canal. The bracing is designed to ensure that if you move suddenly, we maintain control of the cannula and it is pulled out of your ear canal. With that in mind, there shouldn’t be a problem, however, it could happen.

Blood in the ear after cleaning

Sometimes if we remove a very dry piece of wax off the ear canal it can take a small piece of skin with it. When this happens you will feel a bit of a pinch and there will be a graze left in the ear canal. After the initial pinch, there shouldn’t be any more discomfort. There may well be some bleeding, but there shouldn’t be a huge amount. There shouldn’t be a large amount of blood in the ear canal after an event like this. Generally, if this happens the hearing care professional will use a spray of oil to coat the ear canal and protect the graze. There is a chance that the graze can become infected but it seems to be exceptionally rare.

As I said, the procedure is a noisy one, it’s actually not the noise of the machine as such, it is in fact, the noise of the suction in the ear canal. If you are exposed to noise for a period of time, you may suffer a temporary shift in your ability to hear. It seems from the limited studies that this is rare, but, that’s not to say it could not happen.If it does, it should be temporary and will go away within a day or two.

The noise is also the culprit when it comes to tinnitus. Think about when you walked out of a disco or a really loud concert and you heard ringing in your ears. The same thing can happen with the noise caused by micro-suction. Again, it should be temporary and should fade within a few days. If you have existing tinnitus, micro-suction could make it worse. Again, it should be temporary, but if your tinnitus causes you real problems, well then perhaps micro-suction isn’t for you.

If micro-suction is done for long enough, the procedure can cool the temperature in your ear canal. That will make you dizzy. Generally, the hearing care professional will try to keep the amount of time the canula is in your ear to a minimum. Again, this is a rare event, but it can happen.

How dangerous is micro-suction ear wax removal really?

Recently we have received a few questions about the safety of micro-suction for ear wax removal. I think this is because the procedure is so prevalent. To respond to the questions I did some research into medical studies undertaken around micro-suction ear wax removal. Unfortunately, there are very few in existence.

In the study Aural microsuction for wax impaction: survey of efficacy and patient perception a study that was undertaken with 159 patients. It was found that although a few people suffered from some pain and or vertigo, “Aural microsuction is well tolerated. Side effects are mild, and the prior use of cerumenolytics appears to further reduce their severity”. That is really the only live study involving Patients I could find.

One of the things that some people have mentioned is the onset of tinnitus and even the onset of permanent hearing loss where there was none before as a result of micro-suction ear wax removal. There is very little evidence out there that supports the claims.

I don’t doubt the veracity of the people who make those claims, but looking at the studies and searching the journals and internet they are exceptionally rare events. So rare in fact that there is no mentions in medical journals. In general, ear wax removal by micro-suction is a safe procedure, however, as I said, with any medical procedure, there are things that may go wrong.

At the recent Livio AI launch I had a chance to speak to Achin Bhowmik PHD, who is the Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Engineering in Starkey. He is at least partially responsible for the dramatic new focus of the Livio AI hearing aids and their widening function. You can listen to the podcast below. I warn you, the audio isn’t great but it was recorded on the move.

If you like what you see, share it so others can benefit

As you may know, Steve recently had a pair of LiNX 3D 9s fitted, he hasn’t stopped raving about them since. Steve’s Audiologist has joined the Hearing Know Hearing Aid Centre Network, so we thought it was a good time to introduce him and tell you a bit about him. Meet Kaz.

Or to give him his full and proper title, Mr Kaz Shiraz – BSc (Hons), RHAD, BAA. Kaz is a qualified Audiologist, graduating in 2009 from the BSc Audiology course at Aston University. His on the job training was undertaken primarily at Wycombe General Hospital, Amersham Hospital & Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Clinical Research Post

On graduating Kaz worked as a Clinical Research Associate for MED-EL in Innsbruck, Austria, who specialise in cochlear implants and middle ear implants. After that he began to work for one of the big hearing aid manufacturers as a Technical Support Audiologist, supporting audiologist and hearing aid users with the troubleshooting/technical advice and training to achieve effective outcomes.

He soon progressed to Product Manager and Head of Technical Support for the UK operations and he was involved in bringing new and innovative solutions to the market. However, he had the bug that many of us have and yearned to go back to dealing direct with people with hearing loss. He started his own independent business offering hearing care services from assessment, fitting & rehabilitation to ear care services offering wax removal. 

Fitting Steve

This is where he met Steve, if you have read the LiNX 3D 9 review by Steve you will know he is pretty happy with the hearing aids. Steve hasn’t covered the process to reach that success and we both know that even the best hearing aids are only good as the person who fitted them. Kaz looked after Steve well, taking time to understand what he needed and when.

Steve’s residual hearing is limited so Kaz had to make the hearing aids dance within a narrow window of residual hearing. The max power output for some sounds was initially a problem but they soon worked out the comfortable loudness level for Steve to normalise loud sounds without causing irritation. All in all it was pretty skilled work, although I am sure Kaz doesn’t need me to tell him that. 

So, if you are looking for a good audiologist and you are in the market for hearing aids in High Wycombe, Kaz Shiraz is probably a great place to start. 

If you like what you see, share it so others can benefit

Find An Independent Hearing Aid Centre in Your Area

Arrange a consultation with a trusted Independent hearing healthcare professional in your area

Welcome To The Revolution

I really hate trite marketing tag lines, then one comes along that’s quite true. Like the famous “Layers of Sound” incident with Resound and their Quattro (actually perfect description for their sound) “Welcome To The Revolution” is exceptionally fitting for the Livio AI. Because that is what it represents, a true revolution in functionality in hearing aids. For the first time ever we have a hearing aid with built-in sensors, health tracking, fall detection and it translates 27 languages in real time. That’s pretty revolutionary.

A hearing aid with hearable functionality

I attended the launch of the new Livio AI hearing aid on the 20th of March in London. The device has been a long time coming and the outline of the functionality has excited a lot of people, me included. I believe the device represents a huge move forward within hearing aids. While I have heard a few people say that the wider functionality is just ancillary, I don’t agree. I think the features are core to the devices and the users that they are designed for. Let’s talk about the devices. 

The Sound is Core

I have heard it said several times that sound quality is the true core focus of hearing aids, and that, of course, is true. Up to recently, Starkey really wasn’t famous for sound quality, although that changed slightly with the launch of the Muse. Starkey says that the Livio AI represents their very best sound quality yet and they have introduced some new sound processing features to drive that.

Binaural Communication

Starkey is using binaural communication between two Livio AI hearing aids to produce a more natural sound, preserve the natural sound cues and to drive a better experience in noisy situations. That communication also allows them to preserve inter-aural level differences which will allow you to better localise sound. That in itself should help you to separate speech and noise a little better in noisy situations. I had a brief listen to them through headphones and they sounded pretty good. It wasn’t a true experience by any means, but with the limited, slightly artificial setup, they sounded okay.

Spatial Speech Enhancement

Starkey says that the new system will deliver a 10% reduction in cognitive effort in noisy environments and a pretty astonishing 80% reduction of noise. That was a little unclear and we didn’t have an opportunity to ask questions. As more info becomes available I will update the article to explain what the figures meant.

Transient Noise Reduction

They have introduced a new system to handle transient or impact noises. The system identifies and reduces those noises quickly which means a slamming door or dropped cutlery on a tile floor will not be as irritating.

Bluetooth Hearing Aids

The Starkey Livio AI hearing aids are Bluetooth hearing aids, audio streaming and streaming of phone calls is limited to the iPhone at present. There was no mention of any plans to deliver Made For Android functionality. I am also unsure of how much of the functionality will work with Android phones. I would take it as said that if you want to get the very best out of these aids you need to be packing an iPhone. 

The Features

We have touched on the features before here on Know, but let’s refresh your memory with a rundown:

• Translation in 27 languages
• Amazon® Alexa connectivity
• Rechargeable option
• Fall Detection and Alerts
• Heart Rate Measurement
• Voice-to-text Transcription
• Natural user interface with tap control
• Self Check for hearing performance
• Thrive Virtual Assistant, built on Google Assistant

I think each of these features is probably worth an article of it’s own, but let’s run through them and why I think they make complete sense. Translation in 27 languages seems perhaps a little strange, but when you consider that older adults are exceptionally likely to travel it starts to make sense. Starkey says that one of the core beliefs they have is that they enable communication, with live translation of different languages, they are doing that.

Health Monitoring

The Livio AI offers relatively decent health monitoring opportunities, while it monitors activity and now heart rate, it also monitors socialisation and how much time is spent engaging with people. The Thrive App uses all of this to give it’s scores.

The health monitoring element of the Livio AI is offered via the Thrive App. It offers two measurements that both deliver the possibility of a score of 100 points. It focuses on a Body score and a Brain score. The body score is calculated through a combination of activity, steps and overall movement. This information is tracked daily and accessed easily in the Thrive app. As I said, a daily score of 100 points is possible.

Cognitive Health

Starkey says that because of the important connection between cognitive health and hearing health, Livio AI measures the brain benefits of wearing hearing aids. I still think that’s marketing fluff, however, I have said before, I do believe there is some validity to what they are doing. The metrics used to measure the Brain score include hours of daily use, social engagement and the tracking of active listening. Again the daily score of 100 points is possible.

Does it really give you a score based on cognitive health? No, it doesn’t, however, it gives you a clear idea about some of the things that we know promote good cognitive health and I think that is a good thing.

Gamified Health

The idea of the Thrive Health Score is gamification of health, basically, in the same way, the Fitbit or any other healthable does. Your daily scores act as a dare to do better and a beratement that you haven’t. As we get older, it is important that we exercise, whether that be focused exercise like gym work or running, or unfocused exercise like nice long walks.

Because there is a huge link between hearing loss and a lot of other co-morbidities like heart disease or diabetes. Enabling health tracking in a hearing aid makes perfect sense, I mean you wear them all day, so they are the ideal device to monitor activity.

Fall Detection & Alerts

Starkey is leveraging the sensors in the Livio AI to detect falls and they have set up a system in the Thrive App that allows an alert to go out to up to three different designated contacts. I honestly think that this is a stroke of genius, I have said for many years that hearing aids could be the ideal platform for the monitoring of activity and health of older people, ensuring that they can lead independent lives for longer. This system represents a big part of that concept.

When you hear the figures (from National Council On Aging) relating to falls for older people it really begins to put the benefit of this feature in perspective:

• Every 11 seconds an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall
• Every 19 minutes an older adult dies from a fall
• $67.7 Billion in projected costs from fall by 2020

Older people fall down with alarming regularity and injure themselves, some of them die. The horrible thing is that some who die may have lived if help was quick enough to get to them. That’s a hard pill to swallow, and I would imagine it would lead to great torture for a family. The fall detection and alert system mean that if a Livio AI user falls, their loved ones should know about it instantaneously. I think that represents huge peace of mind.

The Self Check

I am telling you, these people are reading my email, I bemoaned the fact several years ago that many hearing aids could be forced to do a self-check of function. I asked why on earth this hadn’t been made available to users in the day of Bluetooth connected hearing aids. Starkey was obviously thinking the same thing, they offer a self-check in the Thrive app which will run a subroutine to check your hearing aids. It’s a handy tool that allows you to be sure if you need to see your professional or the receiver is just blocked with wax.

Thrive Personal Assistant

Now you are talking, I always wanted my hearing aids to be my personal assistant, mainly because I have a shocking memory for daily life. Appointments, there was an appointment? Emails, oh yes I kind of remember now ish. Yes, that pretty much sums me up, so I live for the day that I have a personal assistant to just manage that. Because my hearing aids are in my ears all day, it makes sense for them to be the primary point of contact for that stuff.

The Thrive Personal Assistant isn’t quite there yet, but after talking to Achin Bhowmik, who is the Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Engineering for Starkey, I can see that it may well be in the future. You activate the Thrive Personal Assistant with a tap on the hearing aids and then simply speak your query. At present, the Thrive Personal Assistant handles queries in two ways.

The AI in the app decides if your query is hearing aid related or a wider general query. If it is hearing aid related such as how do I turn the volume up, the query is handled locally within the app. If it is a wider query, like why is the sky blue?, the app passes it on to Google to answer.

That makes perfect sense, Google, Amazon and Apple have spent ridiculous amounts of money on Artificial Intelligence, why the hell does Starkey need to re-invent the wheel? I had a really interesting conversation with Achin Bhowmik, I even managed not to bow from the waist and give it the old Wayne’s World we’re not worthy! He had some pretty fascinating things to say about the future of machine learning and AI in hearing aids and some more interesting things to say about new features that will be coming sooner rather than later. I shall cover that conversation in another article and probably a podcast.

The Features of The Future

While the presentation on the day was about existing features, Starkey also gave us a glimpse of future features they expected to introduce.

While the slide covered pretty much everything that was said, including the expanded function for the Personal Assistant that I was hoping for, it didn’t mention something that was mentioned by Bill Austin during his closing address. He mentioned a facial recognition system which would help with voice prompts. If they are going to introduce something like that well then they are going to have to put cameras on the aids. Now that would be fascinating.

Like I said at the start, I heard some people say that these features or abilities aren’t core, I beg to differ. I think they are as core to the design of modern hearing aids as Bluetooth radios are. Moving forward, consumers will expect this type of functionality because it makes sense. Another thing I heard was, well all of these things have been around for a while and Starkey are just taking advantage of them. My reply was yup, they had the foresight and design thinking to do just that.

Steve Jobs didn’t invent anything, he just took lot’s of existing technology and features and re-packaged them. The point is that he was the man with the vision to do so, just as Starkey have had the vision to do this. I am no big fan of Starkey, no more than I am a big fan of any particular hearing aid brand, but you have to recognise revolutionary thinking when you see it. Welcome to the revolution, and if the sound quality lives up to the claims, it will be a revolution.

The Oticon Drive event included the launch of the Opn S platform to the UK market. The Opn S is being rolled out to other markets globally right now and I would expect them to be available to most Independent hearing professionals right now more or less globally. Here is a rundown of the models and the pricing we expect. 

Source: Demant A/S financial presentation

The Highlights

So let’s take a quick look at the highlights of the new Opn S platform:

• Velox S: They say it is a new level of processing power which offers faster automatics, new highly sensitive detectors, and increased memory. They say it is powerful enough to analyse 56,000 additional times per second than the Opn.
• OpenSound Booster: They say it offers even more help in everyday noisy situations to those who need it most when they need it.
• OpenSound Optimizer: They say prevents feedback to deliver optimal gain, providing more open fittings and no feedback. 
• New miniRITE-R: They say a new lithium-ion powered rechargeable hearing aid offering the best OpenSound Experience, audio streaming and enough power to last the day.

Three Levels Of Tech

The new Opn S will be available in three levels of technology with a sliding level of features similar in nature to the original Opn platform. The Opn S 1 will be the premium range of devices followed by the mid-range Opn S 2 and the lower mid-range Opn S 3. As they have done with the Siya, I believe in the future they will deliver a different version of the Opn S as the budget range models. 

Made For iPhone

All of the models in the Opn S platform are Bluetooth enabled hearing aids.

Powerful Enough For Every Hearing Loss

The beautiful MiniRITE devices can use four different receiver power levels meaning that they offer a discreet option for every hearing loss

The Models

Oticon

Opn S miniRITE

The Opn S miniRITE hearing aid model is a very discrete wireless slimline ‘Mini-Receiver-In-Ear (miniRITE)’ hearing aid using a 312 battery. Powerful fully featured and offering amazing discretion. 

Oticon Opn S miniRITE Prices

We would expect the Oticon Opn S miniRITE range to be sold at prices from £1200.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the Practice and location. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €1400.00 to €3000.00 in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1500.00 to $3200.00 in the USA.

Oticon

Opn S miniRITE-R

wireless slimline Rechargeable ‘Mini-Receiver-In-Ear (miniRITE)’ hearing aid using a new lithium-ion rechargeable battery which offers 16 hours of use with five hours of streaming. The battery pack is easily replaceable in the clinic. The device also has a telecoil.

Oticon Opn S miniRITE-R Prices

We would expect the Oticon Opn S miniRITE-R range to be sold at prices from £1200.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the Practice and location. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €1400.00 to €3000.00 in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1500.00 to $3200.00 in the USA.

Oticon

Opn S miniRITE-T

The sleek and discreet wireless MiniRITE-T features a telecoil and double pushbutton for easy volume and program control. It is powered by a 312 battery

Oticon Opn S miniRITE-T Prices

We would expect the Oticon Opn S miniRITE-T range to be sold at prices from £1200.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the Practice and location. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €1400.00 to €3000.00 in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1500.00 to $3200.00 in the USA.

Oticon

Opn S BTE13 PP

The powerful and compact BTE13 PP fits hearing losses up to 105 dB SPL to benefit people with severe-to-profound hearing loss. The plus power solution features a telecoil, a tactile double pushbutton for easy volume and program control and a two-colour LED indicator to monitor hearing aid status for both users and caregivers.

Oticon Opn S BTE13 PP Prices

We would expect the Oticon Opn S BTE13 PP range to be sold at prices from £1200.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the Practice and location. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €1400.00 to €3000.00 in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1500.00 to $3200.00 in the USA.

Hearing Tracker broke a story on the new Bose hearing aids a couple of days ago, they look remarkably similar to their Hearphones. It looks like the new hearing aid will be similar to the Wear and Hear devices we have discussed already. The Bose hearing aid device represents the first of a completely new category of hearing aids. According to the FDA, the Bose self-fitting hearing aid is intended to amplify sound for individuals 18 years of age or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment. The device will be adjusted by the user to meet the user’s hearing needs. The devices are intended for direct-to-consumer sale and no pre-programming or hearing test is necessary. What struck me was the similarity in design and concept to the BeHear devices I reviewed in the article”My Latest Experiences With The BeHear Now from Wear&Hear.” Let’s talk about the Bose Hearing Aids. “My Latest Experiences With The BeHear Now from Wear&Hear.”

Typical Bluetooth Headphones

Like the BeHear Now (which you can see here) , the new Bose Hearing Aid looks like any typical Bluetooth headset in design. In fact, it looks exactly like the popular Bose Hearphones with a flexible neckband which houses all of the electronics and cables for the right and left earbuds.

The Bose Hearing Aid has two microphones in each earbud that can be used in omnidirectional or directional modes to help with speech in noise. They say that they offer active noise reduction using “feedback and feedforward control loops” to give better speech understanding in noise. The devices will also offer typical Bluetooth audio streaming from smartphones for both music and phone calls.

Self-fitting with a smartphone app

Exactly like the BeHear Now and the IQBuds Boost from NuHeara, the Bose Hearing aids will be self-programmed through a smartphone app which will be available for both iPhones and Android smartphones. As with the BeHear Now, the app can be used to change the settings on the devices but there is also a set of buttons that can also be used to adjust both the “World Volume” and the directional mode.

Hearing Aid Features

The Bose Hearing Aid boasts a set of features that you would typically expect from a hearing aid. The signal processing includes 12-channel wide dynamic range compression amplification. The noise reduction feature is continuously active and they say it reduces environmental noise and the perception of the user’s own voice.

Additional features reported include:

• Feedback cancellation
• Steady-state noise reduction
• Directionality (three modes controllable by the user)
• Impulse noise control
• Left/Right balance
• Bluetooth-compliant 2.4 GHz wireless radio for streaming audio, telephony, and control
• Microphone array to help clarify voices on phone calls
• Volume-optimized audio equalization (selectable high-frequency boost when listening to streamed content)
• Voice prompts
• Battery life of approximately 10 hours
• NFC pairing for compatible Android devices

Again, the features list is not unlike that of either the BeHear Now or the IQBuds Boost. The only real question is, when will the Bose devices be ready? The other question for me is when will the BeHear Now and IQBuds Boost be added to this category? Because looking at the design and the clinical studies that support this new category of devices, it seems to me that both the BeHear Now and the IQBuds Boost fit the brief.

We have been at the Oticon Drive event over the last few days learning a bit about the latest Oticon hearing aids, the Opn S platform. In a really interesting turn of events, Oticon has ensured that the lithium-ion battery pack in their new rechargeable hearing aids is replaceable by the hearing care professional. It will mean that when the time comes to replace it, the replacement can be done in the clinic instead of at the factory. That makes sense for consumers.

That’s an interesting move, up to now nearly all of the lithium-ion stuff has had to be returned to the factory to replace the power pack. Being able to replace it in the clinic ensures that consumers aren’t inconvenienced by missing their hearing aids while they go away. I think for consumers, that makes a lot of sense. The job will have to be done in the clinic though, the hearing devices have a specially locked battery port that a professional can open with a special tool.

Oticon has taken the time to learn from the experience of the other brands to design what they believe offers the best of all worlds. I like the charger unit and I like the hearing aids, unfortunately, I think Oticon missed one trick by not delivering a charger case like some of the other brands. They certainly are not the only ones to do so. I think the charger cases with extra charges are going to prove really popular and I can see all of the brands introducing them moving forward.

A Quick Run Down

Here is a quick rundown of the salient points:

• Easily replaced rechargeable batteries
• 3 hours charging for a full day of hearing, including streaming*.
• Connect to a TV, computer, smartphone and more via Bluetooth®
• Tinnitus SoundSupport™ can play tinnitus relief sounds
• Control hearing aids with the Oticon ON App
• A Made for iPhone® hearing aid
• With Telecoil (T-coil) that offers access to FM systems using a neckloop receiver
• Volume and programme button
• For mild to severe hearing loss
• Water and dust resistant to IP68 standard
• * Oticon say that expected operating time for rechargeable battery depends on use pattern, active feature set, hearing loss, sound environment, battery age and use of wireless accessories

We are attending the launch of the Oticon Opn S range today at the Oticon Drive event in the UK. We got to hear a little bit more about the new Opn S and I have to say that I am liking what I am hearing. The original Opn has been a huge success for Oticon, they really have been globally popular hearing aids that have caught the imagination. More than that, they are excellent hearing devices that offer an experience that no one else offered up to recently. The stats that we are hearing about the Opn S platform are outstanding. They offer a real improvement upon the original Opn which is impressive. I will cover the headline stuff here and we delve deeper at a later date. Let’s take a look.

Better speech understanding and reduced listening effort

With the upgraded OpenSound Navigator and the OpenSound Optimizer working together, Oticon say that the Opn S takes BrainHearing™ benefits to new heights. The stats they are quoting are as follows:

• Oticon Opn increased speech understanding with 30% compared to traditional hearing aids. Now, Oticon Opn S outperforms Oticon Opn with a further 15% increase.
• Oticon Opn reduced the listening effort with 20% compared to traditional hearing aids. Oticon Opn S adds an extra 10% reduction to that performance.
• Oticon Opn improved memory recall with 20% compared to traditional hearing aids. With Oticon Opn S that number is increased with an additional 10%.

Considering the Opn was so good, improvements like that can’t be sneezed at. Of course, the proof will be in the pudding as they say. But I have no doubt that the claims will match real-world performance, to be honest with you.

Optimal Gain

Oticon has introduced a whole new way to handle feedback which allows them to deliver the optimal amplification in every situation. The new system looks really good and should allow speech perception to increase even in noisy situations where you need a lot of amplification.

The Models

As I reported earlier this year, the new range will initially come in four model types at three levels of technology and the market rollout of the Opn S family starts right now in the UK. The models are a Mini RITE, a Mini RITE-T, a Lithium-Ion rechargeable Mini RITE-R (which has a telecoil on board) and a 13 BTE. As I said, this will be the first time Oticon goes with a lithium-ion power source. The physical hardware specs for the new hearing aid models are similar to the original devices so they all cover a range of hearing losses.

Over the next couple of weeks as we get to grips with the new stuff we will write up a couple of articles covering what you need to know. We are hoping to get Steve a pair so we can get a clear idea of the real world benefits.

Ear Wax Removal in More Areas

We are pleased to announce that the No Wax Ear Wax Removal Specialists Network has expanded dramatically over the last few weeks with new ear wax removal specialists from South Tyneside, Kilmarnock in Scotland, Warrington, Chester, London, Kent, Newry in Northern Ireland and Dundalk and Dublin in the Republic of Ireland among others joining the network. We are committed to growing the network this year across Uk, Ireland and the US in order that you can easily find ear wax removal specialists near you. Let’s meet them all.

New Ear Wax Removal Specialists UK

Ear Wax Removal in South Tyneside

North East Ear Clinic joined us during the month of March and they offer ear wax removal in Jarrow, Gateshead and South Shields. Philip Dinning LLB RHAD BSHAA is a fully qualified Hearing Aid Audiologist and has undertaken further training to be able to offer several types of ear wax removal. He provides micro suction ear wax removal and endoscope ear wax removal primarily.

Ear Wax Removal in Chester

Chester Hearing & Balance Services joined the network during March and they provide ear wax removal in Chester. They offer Micro Suction ear wax removal at their hearing aid centre in Castle Street in the town.

Ear Wax Removal Warrington

Harmony Hearing joined the network during March and they provide ear wax removal in Warrington. They provide both micro-suction ear wax removal and irrigation ear wax removal in their clinic at Crompton Opticians in Culcheth Warrington.

Ear Wax Removal Newry

Blueberry Hearing joined the network during March and they provide ear wax removal in Newry and across Down, Armagh and Antrim. Blueberry Hearing have a clinic in Newry but they also offer micro-suction ear wax removal and irrigation ear wax removal in your own home across County Down, County Armagh and as far as Belfast in Country Antrim.

Ear Wax Removal Kilmarnock

Our old friend Greg Clements has opened a new business called Kilmarnock Hearing Care which provides ear wax removal in Kilmarnock. Greg will predominantly provide micro suction ear wax removal he also offers irrigation ear wax removal. Greg was the first person I know of that passed his 1000 ear wax removals a couple of years ago.

Ear Wax Removal Northwood, London

HearWeGo Audiology joined the network during March and they provide ear wax removal in Northwood, Hillingdon, London. Preet Nijhar has a Masters degree in Audiology from UCL and 25 years experience working in the NHS and she provides micro suction ear wax removal at her centre in Northwood.

Ear Wax Removal Broadstairs, Kent

Regain Hearing joined the network during March and they provide ear wax removal in Broadstairs, Kent. They provide micro suction ear wax removal at their hearing aid centre on the High Street in Broadstairs.

Ear Wax Removal Eltham, London

Regain Hearing have a second centre on the network and they provide ear wax removal in Eltham London. They provide micro suction ear wax removal at their hearing aid centre on the High Street in Eltham.

Ear Wax Removal Lincoln

AllHear joined the network and they provide ear wax removal in Lincoln. They provide micro suction ear wax removal at their hearing aid centre in North Hykeham, Lincoln.

New Ear Wax Removal Specialists Ireland

Ear Wax Removal Dundalk

Blueberry Hearing has a second hearing centre across the border in Ireland and they provide ear wax removal in Dundalk and across Louth, Monaghan and Dublin. While the Blueberry Hearing clinic is in Dundalk but they also offer micro-suction ear wax removal and irrigation ear wax removal in your own home across County Louth, County Monaghan and County Dublin.

Ear Wax Removal Fairview, Dublin

Connect Hearing joined the network during March and they provide ear wax removal in Fairview in Dublin. They offer micro suction ear wax removal and irrigation ear wax removal at the centre in Fairview.

Ear Wax Removal Stillorgan, Dublin

Connect Hearing joined the network during March and they provide ear wax removal in Stillorgan in Dublin. They offer micro suction ear wax removal and irrigation ear wax removal at the centre in Fairview.

Ear Wax Removal Rathfarnham, Dublin

Connect Hearing joined the network during March and they provide ear wax removal in Rathfarnham in Dublin. They offer micro suction ear wax removal and irrigation ear wax removal at their hearing aid centre on Marian Road, Rathfarnham.

We hope that the network will continue to grow this year across the UK and Ireland, we also hope to be identifying ear wax removal services in the US soon as well.