Newly Renamed Starkey Hearing Technologies Plans To Keep Putting New Wine In New Bottles

Sometimes when a company changes its name, the first thing you think is “old wine in new bottles.” But when Starkey Laboratories, the 45-year-old hearing aid company, today announced its name change to Starkey Hearing Technologies, it reflected how far the company has come in recent years. It also sent a strong signal on where the company is going–toward a future focused on developing new hearing technologies and integrating them into multiple brands of new hearing products for big consumer markets.

In recent years, Starkey has emerged as one of the top five global hearing aid companies, with nearly a billion dollars of sales from a broad line of products that meet consumers’ entire range of hearing needs. Its five hearing aid brands–Audibel, AudioSync, NuEar, MicroTech and the original Starkey brand–are increasingly driven by a common platform of new technologies in digital signal processing, sound processing, miniaturization, wireless connectivity to your phone, TV and other devices, and wireless binaural communication between hearing aids for a more natural balanced sound.

“Over the past decade, we have gone from a manufacturing company to a global technology company,” Jerry Ruzicka, President of Starkey Hearing Technologies, said in a news release. “The name change better aligns with both who we are as an organization, as well as our focus on innovation, technology and the diverse customers we serve.”

Starkey was founded in Minnesota by William Austin, who has devoted more time in recent years to philanthropy. His Starkey Hearing Foundation to date has given away more than 500,000 hearing aids to people in need in the U.S. and around the world, with a commitment to giving away more than 100,000 hearing aids annually and a goal of one million more this decade. In the meantime, Starkey’s new generation of operating leadership has poured money into R&D and new-product development, and the results are starting to make a big impact on hearing-industry markets.

Once known more for its sales strength than leadership in innovation, in recent years Starkey caught up to and in many instances surpassed other leading hearing-aid manufacturers in developing and promoting hot new technologies. Just this week the company’s new AMP “invisible” hearing aid is being honored at the International Consumer Electronics Show with a 2012 Innovations Design and Engineering Award.

But the newly named Starkey Hearing Technologies won’t be able to rest on its laurels, or its name change, to continue competing successfully in the increasingly competitive global high-end hearing technology industry, where all the leaders are driving the advanced technologies in their hearing aids into consumer products for markets such as high-tend audio, Bluetooth phones, headsets and earphones, and wireless devices.

Industry leader Sonova Group, whose Phonak brand has been both a technology and a marketing leader for years, has continued to drive innovation in sound processing and wireless technologies. GN Store Nord, parent of ReSound hearing aids, also has a Netcom headset division that is driving into industrial hearing protection and consumer markets for earphones and headsets including the popular Jabra bluetooth phone earpieces. And Oticon hearing-aid parent William Demant’s similar push into consumer hearing technologies is led by its high-end Sennheiser headsets and other well-known audio brands.

ReSound’s Water-Resistant “iSolate Nanotech” Coating Is On Cutting Edge Of A Revolution In Hearing Aid Materials

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.

Oticon’s New ConnectLine Microphone Completes End-To-End Connection Between Hearing Aids And Your Conversation Partner

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.

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. Read more

Hearing Mojo Publishes Hearing Aid Comparison Chart With Data On Leading Global Manufacturers’ Flagship Hearing Aid Brands

Shopping for hearing aids and other assistive listening technologies can be confusing and intimidating. With our focus on products and technologies for hard-of-hearing consumers, Hearing Mojo has gathered a lot of information on the leading brands of hearing aids and other devices and technologies that are available. Now we’ve organized data on the flagship brands from the world’s six largest hearing aid manufacturers and presented it in our first hearing aid comparison chart.

While the hearing aid comparison chart is by no means an exhaustive list, it does give consumers shopping for hearing aids an idea of what high-end features and functions are available from the world’s leading hearing aid brands. It also provides estimated prices for the premium brand hearing aids. Most important, it offers multiple links to other Hearing Mojo articles about the hearing aid products and brands, and the companies behind them, as well as direct links to the manufacturers’ product web sites.

The only way hard-of-hearing consumers can assure themselves they will get products at appropriate prices that will help them the most is to do extensive research. The comparison of six of the best-known premium brands is a good place to start. They include Oticon Agil (William Demant Holding), Starkey Wi Series (Starkey Laboratories), Phonak Ambra (Sonova Holding), ReSound Alera (GN Store Nord), Widex Clear440 (Widex), and Siemens Motion (Siemens Hearing Instruments).

Just keep in mind that there are dozens of other manufacturers who offer high-quality hearing aids with comparable price/performance, and each listed company offers numerous other hearing aids at other price/performance levels as well. So look carefully at the information on the chart, visit the multiple links, then look beyond this short list if you are serious about buying hearing aids.

We would love reader feedback on this first hearing-aid comparison chart, as we expect to develop additional comparison charts on other types of hearing aids and assistive listening devices.

New Varicom Hearing Aids From Sonic Innovations Provide Wireless Connectivity To Phone, Television, MP3 Players And More

In keeping with its new parent company’s promise to continue supporting the brand, Sonic Innovations has introduced its new Varicom hearing aid family providing wireless connectivity to your telephone, television, MP3 player, and more. The Varicom family also provides a range of performance features, fitting options and form factors befitting a new flagship family of hearing aids.

When Sonic Innovations was acquired by William Demant Holding last year, customers questioned whether the Sonic Innovations brand would continue as an independent brand or whether it would be swallowed up by Oticon, the holding company’s leading global hearing aid brand. But now, following William Demant’s recent statement saying it would support Sonic Innovations, is seems clear that, for now, the brand is here to stay. Read more

Oticon Chili And Safari Super-Power Hearing Aids Pack More Punch In Smaller Packages With Premium Features And More Natural Sound

Oticon’s Chili and Safari super-power hearing aids, introduced last Fall, have kept the Danish company on the forefront of highly functional solutions for adults and children with severe hearing loss. Often the super-power hearing aid user suffers because there are comparatively fewer consumers in that niche than in the mainstream market of hearing aids for users with mild or moderate hearing loss. So manufacturers can be slow to deliver the same new features and functionality that they put into their hearing aids for people with less serious hearing loss. And because hearing aids for severely impaired users require so much amplification, the danger of over-amplification of environmental sounds, distortion of speech and feedback noise is greater than with hearing aids requiring less amplification.

So it was welcome news to severely impaired consumers when Oticon introduced Chili and Safari with numerous features in its hot mainstream Agil hearing aids, including wireless connectivity with audio devices, Oticon’s next generation Speech Guard sound processing software, advanced adaptive directionality, and spatial noise management, all in a much smaller behind-the-ear processing unit than its earlier super-power hearing aids. Read more

William Demant Commits To Maintaining Sonic Innovations Hearing Aid Brand With Product Improvements And Appointment Of New Leader

William Demant Holding, which recently won a bidding war to acquire Otix Global, has committed to supporting Otix’s Sonic Innovations hearing aid brand, with the appointment of a new leader and product expansion including a new version of its super-power Endura hearing aid family. The Sonic Innovations brand will be a sibling to Demant’s flagship brand, Oticon hearing aids, which is one of the world’s top six hearing aid suppliers.

The parent company recently appointed Joseph A. Lugara, a 25-year hearing-industry veteran, to lead Sonic Innovations as President and COO. It also added a new model in its Endura hearing aid family, Endura 6, providing severely impaired customers with a broader range of features at different price points. Sonic Innovations will also move its headquarters in the U.S. from Salt Lake City, where it was founded, to New Jersey, near the U.S. headquarters of both Oticon and another William Demant hearing aid brand, Bernafon.

While William Demant and GN ReSound Fought Over Otix, Sonova Widened Its Hearing-Aid Industry Market Lead

As GN ReSound and William Demant battled over who would win the battle to acquire Otix Global this fall, hearing-aid industry leader Sonova stuck to its knitting and on Nov. 16 claimed it has widened its market share lead. But at the same time, all three of the publicly traded hearing-aid manufacturers hinted they have turned the corner after several years of anemic growth in the global recession.

Sonova, parent of Phonak and other hearing-aid brands, reported more than eight percent organic growth in the first six months of its fiscal year in addition to revenue gains from the acquisitions of cochlear implant maker Advanced Bionics and InSound Medical, developer of the “invisible” Lyric hearing aid. With the growth in the global hearing aid market projected at no more than five percent in 2010, Sonova’s growth, powered by a slew of successful new products introduced over the past two years, earned it a substantial increase in market share. However, in the same report, the holding company lowered its earnings forecast for the remainder of the year, disappointing investors looking for earnings growth combined with faster revenue growth in the industry. Read more

Bidding War Breaks Out For Otix Global As William Demant And GN ReSound Vie For Market Share In Consolidating Hearing Aid Industry

A bidding war has broken out for Otix Global, maker of Sonic Innovations hearing aids and one of the world’s seven largest hearing-aid manufacturers, with William Demant Holding today matching GN ReSound’s $58 million (USD) acquisition bid. GN ReSound last week had topped William Demant’s initial $50 million bid to acquire the struggling U.S.-based company. Today’s $58 million, $10-per-share matching offer by William Demant, parent of global hearing-aid brands Oticon and Bernafon, demonstrates it remains intent on acquiring the Sonic Innovation brand to increase its share of the global hearing aid market. There was no immediate response from GN ReSound parent GN Store Nord on whether it will keep the bidding war going by responding with another higher bid. Read more

GN ReSound Alera Arrives With Wireless Features Setting The Bar Higher For Premium Hearing Aids

The wireless features in the new GN ReSound Alera family of hearing aids, which start shipping this week, are very similar to those found in several other high-end hearing aids already announced by other manufacturers. But, taken together, they help set the bar higher for premium hearing aids and assistive listening devices in general. The only question is how much better the new wireless features will make the new hearing aids from GN ReSound and other manufacturers when users start trying them out in the field.

One of the first things you learn in Marketing 101 is that  ”first,” “best” and “only” are some of the strongest words in the English language. So it’s no surprise that in the increasingly competitive hearing-aid industry, manufacturers are starting to use those words more often. GN ReSound’s news release announcing first shipments of the Alera hearing aids is a good example, claiming the company has come up with “the first truly wireless hearing aid with no strings attached.” The news release goes on to announce “a new approach to the way a hearing aid receives sound from devices such as TVs, stereos, cell phones and computers,” claiming that, “for the first time the patient can receive sound directly from the device without cables, wires or the need to wear uncomfortable accessories.” Read more

Next Page »