The Massachusetts company calls its product “the world’s first intra-aural 3D scanning device.” It is a direct, digital, 3D scanner capable of measuring ear canal shape and tissue compliance to produce a highly accurate map of the ear canal. It will eliminate the uncertainties associated with manual fits, greatly improving the performance of custom made ear products across a wide variety of markets ranging from hearing aids, to headsets and earphones for iPods, MP3 players and high-end audio applications, and industrial hearing protection.

Chart 1: Invisibility Is A Key Factor In Hearing Aid Purchase Decision (Click On Chart For Enlarged Version)

According to new market research, “invisibility” is one of the top five factors customers consider when buying a hearing aid, according to a presentation by a senior Starkey Laboratories executive yesterday at the 2012 Starkey Hearing Innovations Expo in Las Vegas. The research (Chart 1) reveals that consumers are less interested in what brand of hearing aid they are buying than other factors such as: 1) price; 2) sound quality; 3) form factor; 4) visibility/invisibility; and 5) customer service.

More than most other major global hearing aid manufacturers, Starkey Labs has focused development and marketing resources on the invisible hearing aid market over the past two years. Now the presentation by Dennis Van Vliet, Au.D., Starkey’s Senior Director of Professional Relations, explains why: the prized Baby Boomer market segment is far more receptive to “invisible” high-tech solutions than the previous generation of hearing aid users. In addition to the cosmetic appeal of a hearing aid no one knows you are wearing, today’s techno-savvy Boomers, who are attracted to high-tech gadgetry in general, are fascinated by the tiny new hearing systems that can pack more power and performance into a tiny package that sits deep within your ear canal than the huge behind-the-ear models that were the norm only a few years ago.

Chart 2: Baby Boomers Are More Receptive To High Tech Hearing Solutions Than The Previous Generation (Click On Chart For Larger Version)

I’m not at the conference but received a copy of the presentation, which is packed with interesting new information, including a fascinating comparison (Chart 2) between consumers above 65 years old, who are generally averse to technology and less interested in fashion and an active lifestyle, versus Baby-Boom generation consumers aged 41 to 64 who are overwhelmingly interested in new tech solutions that fit in with an active lifestyle. My take on the data is that the Boomers are not put off by the “stigma” of being seen wearing hearing aids so much as attracted to slick new well-designed products that combine superior form with high-tech function.

Starkey’s “invisible” product line now includes the entry-level AMP hearing aids and its high-performance Soundlens products, both of which sit deep within the ear canal. Starkey’s Xino product family is a on open-fit, behind-the-ear, receiver in the canal (RIC) product that is so tiny it is also marketed in the “invisible” category. Starkey has marketed the AMP system aggressively as a first-time solution for users who would not otherwise want to wear hearing aids.

I’ve gotten comments on my previous posts about Starkey’s invisible hearing aid marketing campaigns from readers who say the company is playing into stereotypes about hearing aids as something to be ashamed of and something to hide from others. I’m sure there are plenty of consumers out there worried about the lingering stigma of having to use hearing aids, but I think something else is going on in the market as well. I like to think tech-savvy Baby-Boom consumers are attracted more to the positive aspects of well-designed hearing products that push the limits of miniaturization and performance than to the fact that they are afraid of being seen wearing hearing aids.

Everyone knows hearing aids amplify sound. But hearing-aid wearers also know that amplifying all sounds, including unwanted background noise, often makes it harder, not easier, to hear what people are saying. In fact, straining to understand amplified voices that compete with amplified background noise is one of the leading causes of hearing-related fatigue, which can be bad for your health.

The good news is that hearing-aid manufacturers have been steadily improving a combination of technologies over the past decade to deliver a big step increase in noise reduction. New sound processing software with sophisticated DNR algorithms are making full use of powerful digital signal processors (DSPs) to virtually eliminate background noise, such as air-conditioner fan noise in the conference room or road noise in the car, making it much easier to understand what people are saying. And much-improved directional microphones further shield you from unwanted noise while focusing on the voices of the people you are facing.

Taken together, these improved technologies make it much easier to understand speech in noise. That’s what I’m finding in my current search for a new set of hearing aids. I’ve recently been trying out two pairs from Liberty Hearing, a provider of hearing aids to Sam’s Clubs, and I’ve been wowed by the improvement in noise reduction over my previous four-year-old set of hearing aids.

When I stepped out into mid-day traffic in Manhattan, I switched on the “Noisy” program setting, and for once I didn’t feel assaulted by the traffic noise. When I took a ride on the Amtrak train, all the rumbling and track noise disappeared, and I could suddenly hear conversations of people three seats away. At home, a ventilation fan in the hood above our stove that usually drives me absolutely crazy seemed silent. And for the first time in years, I didn’t have to turn off my hearing aids when my wife and daughter turned on the blender to make smoothies.

And while the new hearing aids still don’t eliminate all the background chatter in a noisy restaurant, it’s easier to hear my dinner companions than with my previous hearing aids. Perhaps most important, I’ve been very aware of a reduction in the stress of wearing hearing aids. Because the new hearing aids are reducing the noises that I previously had to put up with to hear other people’s amplified voices, I am am experiencing far less hearing fatigue.

All the major hearing-aid manufacturers promote their digital noise reduction algorithms, and I hope to try out many of them. There’s an excellent review of the Starkey IQ sound processing software’s DNR feature on Steve Claridge’s HearingAidKnow site. Starkey IQ doesn’t just eliminate all the noise in gaps between a speaker’s words, but also reduces noise between syllables, which he is a big help in understanding speech. For more information, go to the Healthy Hearing overview of digital noise reduction authored by hearing-aid technology guru Mark Ross. He wrote it several years ago but it is still the best layman’s summary of DNR I’ve seen.

In the meantime, if you’re shopping for a new set of hearing aids, be sure to ask about their noise reduction feature. When you try them out, take a walk out on the street or through a crowded cafeteria. In addition to noticing all the new sounds you hear, you may also be pleasantly surprised at everything you don’t hear.

1. Wireless Technologies: In 2011, all the major hearing-aid companies introduced one form or another of wireless communication between assistive listening devices and their hearing aids. Big announcements included streamers for broadcasting TV directly into receivers in your hearing aids, and synching Bluetooth receivers in your hearing aids with your cellphone. Wireless communication between your left and right hearing aids, to provide better stereophonic left-right balance and better location of sound, was also a big feature that the majors started to introduce. I’m expecting more of the same in 2012, along with the first reports of user experiences with these new technologies. Questions to be answered: Is their very high cost worth the benefit you get from them? Are they as easy to use as the manufacturers claim? Are they so much better than earlier, simpler, t-coil based solutions that they will find a big market in 2012?
2. Big Manufacturers Get Bigger: The big manufacturers–Sonova Group, William Demant Holdings, Siemens Hearing Instruments, GN Store Nord, and Starkey Laboratories–all seemed to be growing faster than the industry average in 2012. Those who were required to report their financial results were bullish about organic growth driven by new product introductions. In the global hearing industry we have a lot of vertical integration, with manufacturers controlling the design, development, manufacturing and distribution of their products, nearly to the point of sale, where they move their products mainly through networks of audiologists who usually resell no more than one or two brands, and who are very brand-loyal. The big players serve the top end of the market where customers can afford the multi-thousand-dollar price tag of a pair of hearing aids, and they are able to generate strong enough profits to continue funding development work that keeps them at the cutting edge of technology with leadership products. Expect more strengthening of the majors in 2012, with some interesting new high-end products and technologies.
3. Upstarts Challenge the Status Quo: While the big players at the high end of the market should continue to consolidate their positions, 2012 should also see many new upstarts with new technologies entering the mid- and entry-levels of the market with more affordable hearing-assistance products. Off-the-shelf DSPs (digital signal processors) and sound processing software are available, as are other components required to build hearing aids. In fact, the total cost of parts and basic software required to build a set of high-quality hearing aids runs into the hundreds, not thousands, of dollars. So there is room for new ventures with new product ideas to meet the huge unmet need for hearing assistance. I will be following and writing about as many of these interesting new ventures as I can.
4. Internet Hearing Aid Sales: There are already a number of companies selling programmable hearing aids direct from the manufacturer over the internet–Audicus, Audiotoniq, America Hears, HearSource, DIY Hearing Aids, hi HealthInnovations, and MD Hearing Aid are just a few. These vendors ask customers for a recent hearing test that will enable them to program the hearing aids to your profile before they ship them to you.  However, most consumers don’t already have a hearing test, and when they do get a hearing test it’s usually from an audiologist or dispenser ready to sell them a new set of hearing aids then and there. So the internet providers usually reach a small, discriminating market of experienced hearing-aid users who already have a copy of a recent hearing test, who know exactly what they want and, with the proper research, understand they can get quality hearing aids programmed and shipped directly from the manufacturer. But this small market segment may heat up in 2012. The reeason is that hi HealthInnovations, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group insurance company, is a new 800-pound gorilla in this marketplace who may change the competitive dynamics dramatically. Stay tuned.
5. Do-It-Yourself Hearing Tests: hi HealthInnovations asks consumers to take a web-based test that screens them for hearing loss. The test can show if some hearing assistance would be of help, and it also says it will let you know if your hearing is so bad you should head straight to an audiologist for a full personal workup. A number of other manufacturers provide hearing screening tests and there are even half a dozen hearing-test apps in the Apple iPhone store. But so far these are extremely rudimentary, and when asked, those offering the tests will tell you that if you suspect any serious issues with your hearing, you should schedule an appointment right away with a doctor, ENT, and/or audiologist. But there’s no reason that more sophisticated do-it-yourself hearing tests can’t be developed. Software on your personal computer is powerful enough and noise cancelling headphones can go a way toward replicating the silence of the padded booth in your audiologist’s office. I expect to see more sophisticated self-screening tests for hearing in 2012. While it will be many years before they can substitute for a full workup, I’m expecting they will help consumers know if any of the the growing number of off-the-shelf personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) now available on the market would provide the right level of amplification for their hearing loss. Which brings us to….
6. Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids/PSAPs: Since the FDA in the U.S. published guidelines for the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids that provide basic amplification, without requiring a hearing test, there have been a number of new entrants in the new market for Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs). It’s been a slow build, because many of the new players are small and without any brand name recognition. Plus many of the products are built with inexpensive components and provide poor audio quality. But you can expect this picture to change in 2012, with the introduction of increasingly sophisticated PSAPs at a variety of price points. Look at my recent post on PSAP products introduced at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from big-name consumer audio companies like RCA and Acoustic Research, and you’ll get a glimpse of more to come.
7. Big-Box Retail: The “big box” stores such as Costco, Walmart, Sam’s Clubs, Sears and others have been selling hearing aids for quite a while. We didn’t see much news from this segment in the past year, and I suspect it’s because the product quality wasn’t superior. Very often the big box stores end up selling earlier generations of major manufacturers’ products, plus in the past support and fitting services could be spotty. I expect all this to continue changing for the better in 2012, as the stores upgrade their product lines and services, including in-house audiologists and/or more experienced dispenser/fitters, as well as the potential for private-label products that are just as good as the major hearing-aid brands, but at lower big-box-store prices. If Walmart, Costco and others get the product and service equation down correctly, they could bust open the mid-level of the market by providing excellent hearing aids for far less than the $2,000-3,000 per hearing aid price you often have to pay when you buy a major brand from an independent audiologist.
8. High-End Retail: When are we going to see hearing stores in high-end malls? Or name-brand hearing stores in downtown locations or small-town suburbs. There’s room for a retail option between the independent audiologist’s office and the big-box stores. I’d like to see an audiologist office with an attractive selection of hearing aids, headphones, assistive listening devices and other high-end hearing products under a glass counter in a store in the mall right next to my favorite supplier of eyeglasses. Will we see a major push into high-end retail in 2012? Don’t count on it. In 2010/2011 we saw HearUSA and the HearRX retail brand get swallowed up by Siemens Hearing Instruments when it failed to make timely payments on a line of credit. So the big money may stay on the sidelines when it comes to high-end hearing-aid retail ventures in 2012. But I’m leaving it on the list because, well, darn it, it’s an idea whose time has certainly come. So why not in 2012?
9. Induction Loops: 2012 may well be the Year of the Hearing Induction Loop. Or so thinks The New York Times. Its story last October on the proliferation of hearing loops in public auditoriums and other public spaces was definitive. Induction loop technology is based on the decades-old technology of induction through telecoils. It’s very simple and easy to install. However, while it’s cost-effective, it’s not inexpensive, and given that the hearing aid population is still smaller than it should be, and that not all hearing aids are equipped with telecoils, hearing loops haven’t yet taken the world by storm. There are a lot more of them in Europe than in the U.S., though, and according to the New York Times it’s only a matter of time before hearing loops become common throughout North America. So we can expect to hear more about this highly effective technology in 2012.
10. Invisible Hearing Aids: In 2010/2011 there was a lot of action in the “invisible hearing aid” market segment, and we’ll continue to see more. My personal feeling is, why make tradeoffs for the cosmetic appeal of hiding your hearing loss, when a visible open-fit BTE or other solution can do more and better for you? But it’s been so long since I worried about the cosmetics of the big hearing aids I use for my severe hearing loss that I’ve become somewhat insensitive to consumers’ concerns about the continuing stigma of wearing hearing aids. So I believe the manufacturers have been smart to market an “invisible” opiton to consumers who would not otherwise even consider hearing aids. At the same time, while I believe these invisible aids will grow into a strong market segment, I’m predicting you will see many consumers quickly get over the stigma of hearing assistance once they see what a positive difference it makes in their lives, and step up from invisible aids to open fit BTE’s that provide more functionality, such as wireless linking with their Bluetooth phones. So I’ll be writing more about “invisible hearing aids” in 2012.
11. Implants: Okay, this is an 11th bonus trend. Surgical hearing-assistance implants are becoming big business globally, and while they won’t replace hearing aids, they will certainly gain in the marketplace. Cochlear implant maker Applied Bionics had its share of problems in 2010/2011, with a broad product recall taking it out of the market for a time and reducing the number of global competitors in the cochlear implant market from three to two. But #2 AB is back, and following its acquisition by Sonova Group, it has the financial resources to compete toe-t0-toe with global leader Cochlear Limited. CI’s continue to improve, in the processing power of the behind-the-ear sound processors, in the software used to drive them, and in the number of electrodes stuffed into the implants themselves. So we can expect a lot of competition and innovation in this market in 2012. At the same time, we’ll see a lot of action in the bone-anchored hearing-aid (BAHA) market, to treat single-sided deafness. And we’ll see startups with unique middle-ear hearing-aid implants–including Envoy Medical’s Esteem implant and an interesting new implant on the wall of the cochlea from Otokinetics–continue to gain traction in the market.

I could easily add another 10 or 20 more items to this list of trends, but taken together, the 11 I’ve covered here will be enough to generate some real excitement in the global hearing-technology business in 2012. And with luck, we’ll see one or more hit the jackpot and start to find some big user acceptance and drive some substantial growth in the industry in 2012.

ReSound iSolate Nanotech Coating Repels Water

ReSound’s announcement that its iSolate Nantotech protective coating has reduced moisture-related repairs to its hearing aids by 50 percent since its introduction six months ago is the latest example of a quiet revolution in modern materials that is transforming the hearing aid industry.

As the spotlight has been shining on new sound processing systems and other software-driven bells and whistles that have improved digital hearing aids enormously in the past two years, the leading manufacturers have also been experimenting with nanotech-based materials, water-resistant coatings, and ceramic housings that have made hearing aids more comfortable, more durable, and far less likely to require repairs. In an industry historically marked by unusually high product return rates and high numbers of customers who stop wearing their hearing aids shortly after buying them, this revolution in materials is driving higher levels of customer satisfaction with more comfortable and reliable products.

ReSound’s iSolate nanotech coating, now used in all of ReSound’s hearing aids, establishes a thin protective layer that bonds at the molecular level with the internal and external components of the hearing aid, shielding them without affecting their performance. The application process, which is done in a vacuum chamber, ensures global coating of all components inside and out. Liquids or moisture coming into contact with the hearing aids simply roll off without being absorbed.

Because moisture related failure is one of the main causes of hearing-aid returns, the innovation has had a dramatic impact on product reliability. ReSound said that in a review of 50,000 hearing aids sold in the first six months since its introduction, it found that the iSolate nanotech protective coating decreased moisture and debris related repairs by 50 percent.

ReSound’s innovation is only the latest in a series of new materials and manufacturing processes announced by industry leaders.

• Starkey Laboratories’ Advanced HydraShield moisture protection system “integrates nano-coating, unibody construction and smart component placement,” which the company claims “provides 100 percent resistance to water, humidity, perspiration and corrosion, both inside and out.”
• Phonak’s “high-tech ceramic housings” are more attractive and comfortable because they are scratch resistant, they adapt to body temperature more quickly and help prevent perspiration in or behind the ear, they are hypo-allergenic, and they are shock-resistant.
• Oticon says its new super-power Chili hearing aid’s “unique shock absorbing receiver mounting prevents it from breaking should the instrument be dropped or fall off the ear,” while a “full body nano-coating” and internal seal protect the electronic parts from water, moisture, and dirt.
• And Cochlear Ltd says its Nucleus 5 cochlear implant, made with high-tech materials including water-resistant batteries, can be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes without failing.

And we can expect to see more announcements like these–although ReSound is the first manufacturer I know of who has actually documented the benefits of new materials by tracking a reduction in repair rates–because reliability is a critical factor in the success of any new in-ear or behind-the-ear product. Any audiologist or hearing aid designer can tell you that the inner ear is one of the most hostile places on the planet for miniature, high-performance, digital electronic devices. It’s wet, humid, and full of potential infectious agents. And because the devices themselves are so tiny, they are far too easy for large human fingers (especially for those of us who are “all thumbs”), to drop on the floor and otherwise abuse. Therefore the space-age materials that are making today’s hearing aids more durable and comfortable than ever before may be as important to their acceptance by more users as their ability to provide high-quality amplified sound.

The Oticon ConnectLine Microphone (Left) Transmits Audio To A Streamer That Sends The Signals Directly Into Hearing Aids

Oticon’s ConnectLine communication devices have made it easier for users of hearing aids to listen to their Apple iPods and personal MP3 players, their TVs, and their Bluetooth mobile phones for a while now. But with yesterday’s introduction of the Oticon ConnectLine personal microphone, you’ll finally be able to hear your dinner companion as well, even in a noisy restaurant.

The new wireless Oticon ConnectLine Microphone clips to your conversation partner’s lapel and picks up his or her voice while filtering out unwanted background sounds. It transmits the audio directly to the ConnectLine Streamer, which you wear on a loop around your neck, and the streamer transmits the unadulterated audio signals directly into your Oticon Agil hearing aids. It can also be adjusted to transmit at frequencies most compatible with the listener’s hearing-loss profile and hearing aids.

Oticon ConnectLine Microphone Integrates Wireless Transmitter

Ever since the big hearing aid makers began incorporating communication receivers directly into hearing aids, there’s been a not-so-quiet revolution in people’s ability to connect to more of the sounds of the modern world. But strangely enough, it’s taken some time for the major manufacturers to come up with workable assistive-listening solutions for the most common complaint of hearing-aid wearers–comprehension of speech in noisy surroundings. The ConnectLine Microphone is one approach to the speech-in-noise problem that is small and easy enough to actually be useful in the real world. When you add to the Oticon ConnectLine solutions for your TV, phone and personal listening system, you end up with a complete, end-to-end listening and comprehension system.

Rigging your conversation partner with a microphone and transmitter is not a new idea. But earlier solutions required the conversation partner to wear a microphone hooked up to a sizable transmitter, and the hearing aid wearer had to hang a receiver around their neck with a neckloop that transmitted the audio to the hearing aid’s telecoils. I tried several of those solutions, but there was always a snag somewhere along the line–either the transmission rig was too bulky for me to bother asking my partner to use it, or the neckloop didn’t communicate well enough with my T-coils. It was an exercise in frustration, and I gave up on them.

The small, lightweight ConnectLine Microphone gets the equation right on the transmission end by integrating the transmitter into the microphone and sending wireless signals to the ConnectLine Streamer. Then having the body-worn Streamer transmit directly into the Oticon hearing aids (from up to 0.5 meters), rather than depending on a less-than-reliable neckloop-plus-telecoil combination, gets the equation right on the receiving end. It’s not an all-purpose solution to the problem of understanding speech in noise–it would be impossible to dole out microphones to the shifting cast of characters in multiple cocktail-party conversation circles, for instance. And as a pricey add-on to a set of high-end hearing aids that can set you back as much as $3,000 each, the ConnectLine peripherals don’t come cheap.

But they do point to a future of better hearing connectivity and listening comprehension. Like Oticon, leading manufacturers including Starkey Laboratories, Phonak, ReSound, Siemens and Widex have introduced their own wireless connectivity components for their premium hearing aids. We can look forward to seeing more solutions from all of them, like the Oticon ConnectLine Microphone, that complete the end-to-end connection for hearing-aid users in search of better comprehension and a better listening/hearing experience.

The young independent hearing aid manufacturer based in the Netherlands made a splash in 2009 when it introduced ExSilent Q invisible hearing aid, which sits deep within the ear canal and features a soft modular tip that doesn’t require a custom ear mold fitting. It went on to introduce the QLeaf hearing aid in 2010, which was smaller and came with a more powerful digital platform featuring either four or eight channels and eight or 12 bands for more robust sound processing.

Now the QLeaf Pro has a solution for one of the toughest design challenges for makers of digital hearing aids that sit so deep within the ear canal to be virtually invisible: how to change program settings without having to remove the hearing aid and manually push a button or reset a switch. Some manufacturers have a magnetic wand that you can wave near your ear that triggers a magnetic switch, and others have remote control devices you can carry in your pocket. The AirTAP technology eliminates the need for an extra device by responding directly to the pressure change when you simply tap your ear gently with your finger, also eliminating the need for a switch or button on the device.

The QLeaf Pro’s four program settings can be adjusted based on the user’s lifestyle and listening needs, with settings providing more amplification in quiet library-like surroundings and more noise suppression in much louder environments such as restaurants. Its slick modular design, with a slide-in-battery compartment sitting between the microphone and speaker, lessens the possibility of feedback. ExSilent also introduced a new programmer for audiologists, with standard settings as well as fine-tuning options that enable a faster and more accurate fitting process.

Invisible hearing aids are rapidly establishing a new market category in the hearing aid industry, where the stigma of being seen wearing a visible hearing aid is still a substantial barrier to hearing assistance products reaching millions of consumers who need them. Several leading manufacturers and new independents have introduced tiny digital products that sit deep within the ear canal: Siemens just introduced its iMini invisible device; Starkey Laboratories last year entered the market with an invisible hearing aid marketed by multiple Starkey business units; ReSound recently introduced a tiny hearing aid with innovative remote microphone that extends via an invisible wire from the processing unit deep in the ear canal to a location hidden under the outer ear’s cymba conch; and Lyric Hearing, recently acquired by Phonak parent Sonova Holding, offers an extended-wear hearing aid that sits deep within the ear canal and is replaced by the audiologist every few months.

Lantos Technologies' Digital Ear Canal Scanner Eliminates The Need For Manual Earmold Impressions

Lantos Technologies, a Cambridge, Massachusetts startup company working with patented technology developed at MIT, is on a quest for the perfect ear mold fitting.

With $1.6 million in venture capital funding, the company is developing a unique scanner that will create an exact digital image of the inner ear, enabling ear mold manufacturers to produce hearing-aid shells, earphones, and other in-ear devices that provide a perfect custom fit for the wearer.

If Lantos is successful, its product could be a game-changer not only for the hearing-aid industry, but also for makers of a broad array of high-end audio electronics and hearing protection equipment. Perfect-fitting earmolds enabled by the Lantos scanner could pave the way for entirely new consumer products that are currently impractical to bring to bring to market, because the cost of ensuring an accurate fit for every user would be prohibitive.

Audiologists and hearing-aid customers put up with the necessary evil of taking ear mold impressions for hearing aids and other select products only when they must, because there is currently no alternative. Getting a good ear mold is a messy process that involves injecting soft silicone putty into your ear down to within millimeters of your ear drum, leaving it there for several minutes until it starts to dry and harden, and then pulling it out and sending it to an ear mold manufacturer. All the while you keep your fingers crossed, hoping the impression doesn’t have so many flaws that you have to perform the procedure all over again.

The Lantos scanner, on the other hand, inserts a thin, balloon-like membrane into the ear canal, which inflates to the exact shape of the canal. A tiny fiber optic camera inside the balloon takes a digital image of the walls of the ear canal and transmits it into a database, where it can be used by a 3D manufacturing system to create an earmold replicating the exact physical contours of the patient’s ear. The result leaves little to no room for the kind of error that comes with the manual earmold fitting, it is far less invasive and uncomfortable, and the entire scan takes only a minute or two.

Ear molds are necessary for many types of hearing loss requiring more than minimal amplification, because hearing aids require a tight seal to put enough distance between the microphone and speaker to prevent feedback—the annoying whistling that can render a hearing aid inoperable. Good earmold impressions are also necessary for the popular new “invisible hearing aids” that must sit deep enough within the ear canal to be virtually invisible to eliminate the stigma many people still feel is associated with wearing hearing aids.

Because everyone’s ears are different—Lantos CEO Shahid Azim notes that your ear canals are as unique to you as your fingerprints—each earpiece must be custom crafted to the individual. Taking a good physical impression of the ear canal, however, is often a hit-or-miss proposition. In addition to the time required to get a good impression and the discomfort of the procedure, the earpieces based on the molds often come back flawed. Sometimes they don’t extend deep enough into the ear canal, and sometimes they don’t fit at all because the original molds were either distorted when removed from the patient’s ear or did not completely fill the ear or accurately conform to the ear canal when originally taken. In addition to feedback, a bad earmold impression can result in an earpiece that is uncomfortable or which causes irritation, swelling, and even infection.

Why is the Lantos Technologies scanner a potential game changer not only for the hearing aid industry, but for other markets?

• Hearing Aids: For several years, use of hearing-aid earmolds seemed to be on the decline, as improved feedback cancellation lessened the need for a perfect seal and as the new tiny, near-invisible open-fit behind-the-ear hearing aids that don’t require an earmold at all gained market share. But the new “invisible” hearing aids that sit deep within the canal are expected to gain market share and increase the demand for custom earmolds. A perfect fit achieved in a fraction of the time will make these new form factors even more comfortable and popular, encouraging hearing aid developers to integrate more features and functionality into invisible earpieces hidden in the ear canal.
• High-End Audio: Personal in-ear headphones are increasingly are being used by audiophiles for high-fidelity sound, including sophisticated noise-cancelling applications that previously required over-the-ear headphones. However, their market growth has been hindered by the difficulty achieving a perfect in-ear fit, and by the drawbacks of “one-size-fits-all” earpieces that simply don’t fit many users’ ears. An easy-to-administer digital scan that could be transmitted directly to the manufacturer, who could immediately produce a custom earpiece on demand for customers purchasing its high-end in-ear headphones would revolutionize this market segment. If it doesn’t sound like much at first, think of the iconic Apple iPod graphic ads with the wires dangling from the users’ ears. Custom earpieces integrating better sound are the logical next step in this huge market.
• Hearing Protection: Think of the bulky headphones you see on airport runway personnel or workers in other noisy environments. Then think about all the situations where people should be protecting their hearing, but aren’t. Think especially of the soldiers in combat zones, where hearing loss has become the number one disability. The reason more people don’t use hearing protection is that most earplugs and over-the-ear headsets actually prevent you from hearing anything at all—which can be just as dangerous in many work environments. Another reason people don’t use hearing protection is that standard earplugs are often uncomfortable or they simply don’t fit. Custom earpieces can integrate electronics that filter out dangerously loud noise while letting speech and other important audio information through. They are comfortable and actually improve job performance, and safety, rather than hindering it. Every soldier ought to have a digital ear scan done when he or she enlists and be issued a set of custom in-ear hearing protection devices. And, as more wireless communication is integrated into in-ear earpieces, the market demand for and acceptance of hearing protection devices requiring accurate earmold impressions will accelerate.
• Hearing Health: Have you ever suffered from swimmers’ ear, or come home from the beach annoyed for days by water in your ear that won’t drain? Have you ever told yourself you really ought to get a set of ear plugs? Why don’t you? Because they are uncomfortable. If you had an easy way to get a set of custom earplugs, you would probably have a set. Think especially of all the parents out there sending their kids to swimming lessons at the local pool: how many would feel negligent about not protecting their childrens’ ears if they knew that custom swimmers’ earplugs were as easy as getting a quick scan and having perfect-fitting earplugs delivered through the mail?
• Bluetooth Phones: Are you one of the many people who would like to have their mobile phone calls transmitted directly into your ears, but who think that today’s bulky and obtrusive Bluetooth earpieces look dorky or idiotic? What if you could have a tiny invisible earpiece that was so comfortable you could keep it in all day, that transmitted your phone calls into your ear with high-fidelity sound, and which also passed through everyday environmental sound transparently so you could hear normally? An accurate scan and perfect-fitting earpiece would make Bluetooth products with that kind of performance, functionality and ease of use possible.

Those are only a few of the obvious applications that aren’t practical today, but which would be enabled by the perfect earmold fittings Lantos Technologies is seeking with its scanner. Lantos has licensed technology developed by a research team led by Douglas Hart, MIT Professor of Mechanical Engineering, that enables quick and extremely accurate scans of small, complex surfaces. Prof. Hart has a proven track record, having developed earlier scanning technology for dental impressions that was subsequently acquired by 3M for $95 million, and is a founder and member of the board of directors of Lantos.

The Lantos scanner is still under development, and there are few details available yet about what it will look like, how it will be sold, and how the digital scans will be archived and managed. It’s a good bet, though, that audiologists and hearing aid companies will line up for it as soon as it’s available. Lantos CEO Azim says the company hopes to be able to demonstrate a prototype of the the product to potential customers sometime this year.

New Phonak Ambra Hearing Aids Are 20-30% Smaller Than Phonak Exelia Hearing Aids, But More Powerful

The company calls its new Phonak Ambra hearing aid family “the premium flagship of the Phonak Spice Generation.” It features true binaural communication between both hearing aids in a set, enabling users to more easily locate sound and hear better in challenging listening environments, “adaptive intelligence” which personalizes the hearing instrument by enabling it to adapt to the users’ environment, and a smaller, more elegant design. Among other things, binaural communication enables a “DuoPhone” feature which allows the user to have phone conversations streamed to both ears simultaneously for better telephone comprehension. Binaural communications also enables “StereoZoom,” which creates a bi-directional network of four telephones from two hearing instruments to locate sound and focus on a single speaker while suppressing other sounds, and “auto ZoomControl” which automatically determines where the dominant voice is in the room and focuses on it.

In addition to superior next-generation performance, the Ambra hearing aids are 20 to 30 percent smaller than Phonak’s earlier Exelia models. They are available in all form factors, including both behind-the-ear (BTE) and custom in-the-ear formats.

The Audeo S hearing aids, also based on the Spice Generation platform, are the next generation of Phonak’s popular Audeo tiny open-fit, behind-the-ear products with speaker-in-the-ear — or as the company puts it, “canal-receiver technology” (CRT). The Audeo S aids come in three Model versions at three performance and price levels. Audeo S MINI is the standard performance level, Audeo S SMART offer power performance, and Audeo S YES offers super-power performance. Because of improved feedback canceling and noise suppression, the super-power model widens the fitting range of the open-fit products to extend into severe-hearing-loss territory. According to a presentation at the EUHA (International Union of Hearing Aid Acousticians) conference last October by Valentin Chapero, CEO of Phonak’s corporate parent Sonova Group, the market for CRT’s is growing faster than any other kind of hearing aid.

ReSound Will Make Its Innovative Remote Microphone Technology Available With Its Popular Alera Hearing Aids

When ReSound introduced its be by ReSound hearing aid several years ago, it was the first significant innovation in form factors I had seen in a while. By separating the microphone from the unit containing the digital signal processor (DSP) and receiver (speaker), be by ReSound opened up new possibilities for fitting in-the-ear (ITE) and completely in the canal (CIC) custom hearing aids. But be by Resound is an open-fit hearing aid for a limited range of fittings, mainly patients with mild hearing loss at higher frequencies.

Now with its announcement of its Remote Microphone (RM) Technology, ReSound is extending the concept to its popular ReSound Alera hearing aids and other custom hearing instruments. The result is a new class of hearing aids that will provide significant benefits — including more natural acoustic performance, more amplification in a smaller form factor, reduced feedback, and less wind-noise interference — for a broad range of users with mild, moderate and even severe hearing loss.

ReSound's Tiny Remote Microphone Tucks Under The Outer Ear's Cymba Concha

ReSound Alera hearing aids, introduced last summer, have been extremely popular with ReSound customers attracted by wireless features that enable direct RF streaming of audio from your TV, MP3 player and Bluetooth phone without an intervening streamer unit or induction neck loop. Now, in addition to behind-the-ear and receiver-in-the-ear models, ReSound Alera hearing aids will also feature RM in-the-ear designs, which ReSound says will fit patients with hearing losses ranging from very mild to very severe (100 dB in the high frequencies). “Remote Microphone Technology is a very attractive alternative for hearing aid users with an aversion to Behind-The-Ear (BTE) instruments,” said Dr. Laurel Christensen, Chief Audiology Officer, ReSound. “The placement of the microphone in the concha cymba not only hides it from view, but also improves acoustic performance due to pinna effects.”

ReSound has multiple patents pending on the new design, which features a tiny microphone at the end of a thin tube connected to the processor unit. The tube curls up into the outer ear, with the microphone tucked neatly under the concha cymba. The receiver and processor unit are hidden in the ear canal, while the tube and microphone are nearly completely invisible, hidden under the natural curve of the outer ear (see illustration). Therefore, the Remote Microphone design provides the cosmetic appeal of an “invisible” in-the-ear hearing aid. But at the same time, the placement of the microphone in the outer ear, and its separation from the speaker embedded in the processor unit that sits within the ear canal, provide three distinct acoustic advantages:

• Better amplification: The outer ear is a natural amplifier, compressing audio signals before they reach the eardrum as they travel through the outer ear and into the ear canal. By placing the microphone in the outer ear, the device gets the benefit of the natural amplification and therefore requires less artificial amplification. That means it requires less power to address more severe forms of hearing loss. At the same time, it enables more gain before feedback: the separation of the microphone from the receiver enables more amplification before feedback distorts the signal. In a technical analysis, ReSound researchers found it possible to increase amplification by nine decibels over comparably powered completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids that integrate the speaker, processor and receiver in the same shell. More natural amplification and gain before feedback translate directly into more help for more severe hearing loss than was possible with previous in-the-ear hearing aids.
• Directivity: According to the ReSound technical analysis, “It is known that the shape and orientation of the pinna provide directivity by enhancing sounds from the front and providing less amplification for sounds originating behind the head. By placing the hearing instrument microphone in the concha, the microphone location effect (MLE) provides enhanced directivity. This placement can improve the perception of signals in the look direction in the presence of noise coming from behind the listener, while using an omnidirectional microphone.” In other words, placing the microphone in the ear takes advantage of the ear’s own ability to place the location of sounds, reducing the reliance on directional microphones that do the job less well than the ear itself.
• Wind noise reduction: any hearing-aid user who has been unable to hear a thing when there’s the slightest breeze outside knows the value of this one. Tucking the microphone under the fold of the outer ear rather than letting it sit exposed to the elements in a BTE or even on the outer face of a traditional in-the-ear design promises to drastically reduce or even eliminate the  problem.

ReSound’s new Remote Microphone technology may not be for everyone. Any hearing aid that locates the processor in the ear canal has the potential to create discomfort, blockage of air, occlusion, and feedback. But the cosmetic and acoustic benefits of the new design are intuitive, and it won’t be a surprise if ReSound starts selling a good percentage of its Alera hearing aids in the new form factor.