2003: 48th International Congress of Hearing Aid Acousticians

Audio Service, Herford
Better and less expensive hearing with TARGA

At the UHA Congress, Audio Service was introducing the next generation in digital entry and medium-class hearing aids: TARGA. The three TARGA hearing systems are offering an exceptional price-performance ratio at a consistently high level of quality. Immediate acceptance and natural sound combined with excellent speech comprehension provide optimum customer satisfaction. TARGA hearing systems are available as inconspicuous in-the-ear devices, or chic behind-the-ear hearing systems, which have also been newly developed.

Furthermore, Audio Service was presenting Arena 3, a totally new, inexpensive family of programmable hearing systems running on analogue technology, as well as C.D.S, a new method of production for the computer-aided production of ITE shells.

Beltone, Münster
AVE 1.4 – swift and precise hearing aid fitting

Mira is the name of the new fully digital hearing aid inside the Contur designer shell from Beltone. Mira has been designed as a basic device. However, with its six channels, feedback manager, and several programs it leaves nothing to be desired.

Solus is another product innovation. This is the most advanced kind of fitting software available today. It is characterised by intuitive fitting guidance and high speed. Programs may by replaced by drag-and-drop; the interactive AVE 1.4 fitting tool is accessible at any time. The result: swifter hearing aid fitting with added precision. Moreover, AVE 1.4 is a software tool for the simulation of real hearing situations in a Dolby Surround field. It provides more than 250 situations for identifying and improving unpleasant hearing situations. These may be used for anticipating and optimising other critical situations by means of cross references.

Bernafon, Berlin
Three hearing systems – one fitting platform

Symbio, Smile plus, and Flair – these are the new digital hearing aid solutions presented by Bernafon in Nuremberg. Their chief attraction: these three hearing aids may be fitted using one and the same fitting platform – no matter if you are dealing with digital entry-level, mid-range, or high-end devices. Of course, Lexis, the new FM communications system, is also compatible with behind-the-ear devices from these three series. Bernafon always helps you find the right solution.

bruckhoff & partner, Hanover
freestyle and la belle: New technology inside a familiar design

freestyle AO, freestyle N2, la belle AO, la belle N2, la belle Claro 22 – bruckhoff & partner was introducing no fewer than five innovative products at Nuremberg. Visually speaking, the freestyle hearing aid is hardly recognisable as a hearing device. It may be used for closed as well as for open fittings, and easily adapts to the anatomy of the ear. freestyle is available as an analogue as well as a digital hearing aid in a modern design. It is the first behind-the-ear hearing aid in the world where the earpiece is accommodated inside the auditory canal.

la belle Claro 22 hides Phonak, the Swiss manufacturer’s technology inside the frame of a pair of glasses. Although the shell looks familiar, the device has been given a complete technical overhaul. In la belle, the microphone is now situated right in front of the ear.

GN ReSound, Münster
Designed for modern living: ReSound AIR and Canta7 Open

ReSound AIR and Canta7 Open, these are the two new hearing systems presented at Nuremberg by GN ReSound, the Danish hearing aid manufacturer. ReSound AIR is characterised by its unique wearing comfort and special design, which is why it is highly suited to modern living.

Canta7 Open is a new addition to the established Canta hearing aid family in the upper range. It offers superior "two-in-one” wearing comfort and high flexibility. Based on the familiar and successful Canta7 family, it may be used for open as well as for closed fittings.

Hansaton Akustik, Hamburg
Innovation and HighPower

New additions to the digital DiWise® series, to behind-the-ear and in-the-ear devices as well as the corresponding fitting software – this was the key focus at Nuremberg for Hörmann Audifon. The benefits of the DiWise® series include: suitability for any kind of hearing loss, as from now, also for high amplification (Audifon D70), two and four-channel digital ITE devices as well as easy fitting with "audifit” fitting software.

Relying on a concept that combines smallness, lightness, and functionality, Hörmann Audifon was also introducing new shells for BTE devices.

Hörmann Audifon, Kölleda
DiWise® – ein Hörgerät für alle Hörverluste

Erweiterung der digitalen Serie DiWise® sowohl im Hinter-dem-Ohr- als auch im Im-Ohr-Bereich und der dazugehörigen Anpasssoftware – darum drehte sich alles bei Hörmann Audifon. Die Vorteile der DiWise®-Serie: Abdeckung sämtlicher Hörverluste, ab sofort auch im hochverstärkenden Bereich mit Audifon D70, zwei- und vierkanalige digitale Im-Ohr-Hörgeräte sowie einfache Anpassung durch die Anpasssoftware “audifit”.

Außerdem stellte Hörmann Audifon nach dem Motto “klein-leicht-funktionell” neue Gehäuse für Hinter-dem-Ohr-Geräte vor.

Interton, Bergisch Gladbach
IQ signal processor available with three world firsts

Interton presented IQ-NANO, a tiny high-end behind-the-ear hearing system featuring the smallest multi-microphone system in the world. Part of the IQ family, IQ-Nano is a third-generation hearing aid using digital signal processing. Moreover, the IQ family is equipped with an adaptive feedback manager and the At-Ease system, which cancels noise in quiet moments.

Silflex, the first soft in-the-ear hearing system in the world, is made from extensively tested medical grade silicone in which the hearing aid components are embedded. Silflex is now also available as Silflex ELITE featuring gold-plated components and a transparent faceplate. Moreover, Interton was introducing at Nuremberg the world’s first ITE device as a Cros/BiCros variant relying on radio transmission.

Oticon, Hamburg
More power with Sumo, Atlas, and Gaia

Oticon, the hearing aid manufacturer from Denmark, was presenting no fewer than three new hearing systems for severe hearing losses: Sumo E, Atlas Power, and Gaia Power. These additions to the "Power range” mean that Oticon is now offering powerful hearing aids which address any kind of hearing loss and any requirement.

In addition, Oticon presented Lexis, a digital FM system with unparalleled directionality in Ultra Focus mode. Lexis is the best solution in particular when hearing aids are reaching their limits – e.g. in the case of reverberation, in noise, or across the room. Exceptional speech understanding, even in difficult situations, is no longer any problem.

Phonak, Fellbach
A complete range for any requirements

Phonak is extending its portfolio as a manufacturer of a complete range of hearing aids. Phonak now offers all its fully digital high-tech hearing systems in variants ranging from entry-level to premium products. This means that the Swiss manufacturer now provides high-quality products in any performance and price category meeting any customer requirements.

As regards FM systems, Phonak was introducing two spectacular product innovations for paediatric and adult hearing aid provision. Phonak also presented an innovative product tailored to children with central auditory processing disorders. Its exceptional features provide significant benefits to users.

Siemens Audiologische Technik, Erlangen
New hearing systems in the TRIANO family

Siemens was presenting the new TRIANO SL, a hearing system specifically developed for people with precipitous high-frequency loss. It is available as a behind-the-ear as well as an in-the-ear variant. Triano 3 P is the new high-performance behind-the-ear hearing aid equipped with three-microphone technology. At the same time, Siemens introduced new fitting software which improves the fitting concept for the entire TRIANO family.

Further product innovations included: Prisma 2 K, an extremely small BTE device using a size 312 battery for paediatric fittings suitable for newborns after their first screening, and Prisma 2 D SP, a hearing aid for severe hearing losses using a size 675 battery and equipped with directional microphone technology.

Starkey, Norderstedt
Sound hearing and understanding with GENESIS and Lexis

Starkey was presenting the widest range of digital hearing aids represented by the Genesis 4 and Genesis DX series. The models from these series can easily be combined with accessories such as Lexis, the wireless digital communications system, and CARE, the interactive multimedia auditory education program for selecting the right products required by the customer. Having pioneered the manufacture of in-the-ear hearing aids, Starkey Laboratories have succeeded in developing miniaturised chips for tiny, high-performance digital hearing aids.

Digital hearing instruments equipped with dynamic directivity systems, adaptive feedback management, and automatic speech recognition have been tailored to benefit the hearing aid user. This is also true for Lexis, the new communications system. With its receiver situated inside the audio shoe and using radio transmission, Lexis has been designed to be compatible with all common BTE instruments. The transmitter consists of four directional microphones, which results in high directivity improving speech understanding even in difficult situations with background noise.

Unitron Hearing, Bremen
Liaison – a liaison for life

Unitron Hearing was introducing Liaison, a digital premium hearing system in the high-end segment available at a reasonable price. Liaison is offered as an unobtrusive behind-the-ear device, as an in-the-ear device, plus as a completely-in-the-canal hearing instrument. Its features include: modern, innovative design, automatic situation analysis, cancellation of wind noises, and real-time feedback management. Whoever wanted to could check out the quality of the new hearing system by watching a demo presentation at the Unitron stand in Nuremberg.

Widex micro-technic, Stuttgart
Pole position for Senso Diva SD-19

Senso Diva SD-19 is the name of the new high-performance hearing aid in the Senso Diva series by Widex micro-technic. Senso Diva SD-19 is a fully digital hearing device for severe hearing losses. A unique combination of an automatic multi-microphone system, noise reduction, and feedback cancellation supplies optimum speech understanding in any hearing situation. Thanks to distortionless transmission, its sound quality is excellent too. Senso Diva SD-19 comes in a modern, newly developed shell.

At the UHA Congress, Widex micro-technic also gave a presentation on LifeSounds and SoundTracker – two new tools for fitting digital hearing aids.