SmartSpeech™

Technology

Experience the evolution of speech understanding with Phonak SmartSpeech™ Technology

StereoZoom 2.0

StereoZoom 2.0 is smoother, smarter and stronger. There is a smooth transition between the wider directional mode of UltraZoom and the narrower focus of StereoZoom 2.0. It intelligently adapts the strength of focus as the level of noise increases. The result is 3 dB better SNR.

How does this bring a shine to the conversation? Your clients can enjoy 16% better speech understanding when having a conversation with a friend or loved one in those challenging social environments.

SpeechSensor

Phonak Lumity features SpeechSensor, an algorithm that detects the direction from which the main speech signal is coming from. This information is sent to AutoSense OS 5.0 which automatically adjusts the directional microphone mode depending on if speech is coming from L/R or behind.
The real life benefit means your clients can understand speech 15% better when speech is from the side/rear in addition to 11% reduced listening effort.

Speech Enhancer

Speech understanding in quiet remains a key challenge for hearing aid wearers. In fact, it’s the biggest predictor of hearing aid benefit. Phonak Lumity with Speech Enhancer helps reduce the listening effort required when communicating with someone who speaks softly e.g. from a toddler, or from a distance, in quiet surroundings. This could provide an additional benefit as reducing listening effort may free up cognitive resources for purposes other than listening.

Motion Sensor Hearing

Ever tried having a conversation while walking? It is not always easy to walk and face your conversation partner at the same time. Featuring Motion Sensor Hearing, Phonak Lumity changes the directional microphone mode into the more open setting of Real Ear Sound and deactivates Dynamic Noise Cancellation when having a conversation while walking in a noisy environment. We know from independent research that listeners with hearing loss likely spend more effort on maintaining awareness of their surrounding than listeners with normal hearing. In a study, conducted at the University of Ontario, 78% of participants preferred Motion Sensor Hearing for environmental awareness. This feature is enabled through rechargeable technology and integrated motion sensor.

Dynamic Noise Cancellation

Being able to immerse and participate in a conversation, in the presence of background noise, is challenging especially with a hearing loss. Hearing aid use has been shown to make listening easier. Phonak Lumity addresses this with the combination of directional microphones and noise cancellation. The benefit of directional microphone technology is well documented. The improved Signal-to-Noise (SNR) ratio from directional microphones, has been shown to improve speech intelligibility in typical speech in noise situations where the target speech is coming from the front direction and the noise is from side and rear. With Lumity, your clients can reduce the listening effort required when having a conversation in noise with Dynamic Noise Cancellation.

ActiveVent™ Receiver

Lumity is compatible with the ActiveVent Receiver - the world’s first intelligent hearing aid receiver that combines the hearing performance of a closed fit with the comfort of an open fit. This provides a no compromise hearing solution for your clients. Orchestrated by AutoSense 5.0, ActiveVent intelligently balances speech clarity in noise and listening comfort. The combination of Lumity with ActiveVent Receiver provides on average 10% better speech understanding in noise while providing natural sound in everyday listening situations.

Roger™ Technology

Roger is an intelligent wireless technology that transmits speech directly to Lumity hearing aids via RogerDirect™, helping to overcome distance and noise. Functioning like a third ear, Roger picks up the voice of a speaker, television, music or the telephone and wirelessly transmits it to the listener, while reducing background noise. Once the distance between the sound source and listener increases, directional microphones are less capable of improving the SNR. That’s when Roger microphones help to bridge the understanding gap in the far-field and enhance the SNR by:

• Eliminating distance between the listener and the sound source
• Utilizing its beamformer to optimize the SNR at the sound source
• Adaptively mixing the gain of the Roger receiver in higher ambient noise levels

Evidence Library

1 Abrams, H.B., & Kihm, J. (2015). An Introduction to MarkeTrak IX: A New Baseline for the Hearing Aid Market. Hearing Review, 22(6), 16. Retrieved from https://www.hearingreview.com/2015/05/introduction-marketrak-ix-new-baseline-hearing-aid-market/ on March 25, 2021.

2 Appleton, J. (2020) AutoSense OS 4.0- significantly less listening effort and preferred for speech intelligibility. Phonak Field Study News retrieved from www.phonakpro.com/evidence, accessed February, 2022.
Latzel, M. & Hobi, S. (2022) Receiver with mechanical vent provides benefit of open and closed acoustics for better speech understanding in noise and naturalness of own voice perception. Phonak Field Study News in preparation. Expected mid of 2022.
Thibodeau L. M. (2020) Benefits in Speech Recognition in Noise with Remote Wireless Microphones in Group Settings. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 31(6), 404–411.

3 Sarant, J., Harris, D., Busby, P., Maruff, P., Schembri, A., Lemke, U., & Launer, S. (2020). The effect of hearing aid use on cognition in older adults: Can we delay decline or even improve cognitive function? Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(1), 254. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9010254

4 Pichora-Fuller, M.K., & Singh, G. (2006). Effects of Age on Auditory and Cognitive Processing: Implications for Hearing Aid Fitting and Audiologic Rehabilitation. Trends in Amplification, 10(1), 29–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/108471380601000103.

5 Holman, J.A., Drummond, A., Hughes, S.E., & Naylor, G. (2019). Hearing impairment and daily-life fatigue: a qualitative study. International Journal of Audiology, 58(7), 408–416. https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2019.1597284.

6 Knorr, H. (2021). Market Research ID 4437. Please contact marketinsight@phonak.com if you are interested in further information.

7 Dillon H, Hickson L, Seeto M. (2018). Hearing aids: What audiologists and ENTs should know. Keynote address: World Congress of Audiology. Cape Town, SA.

8 Edwards, B. (2016). A Model of Auditory-Cognitive Processing and Relevance to Clinical Applicability. Ear and Hearing, 37(suppl.1), 85S-91S. https://doi.org/10.1097/ AUD.0000000000000308.

9 Appleton, J. (2020) AutoSense OS 4.0- significantly less listening effort and preferred for speech intelligibility. Phonak Field Study News retrieved from www.phonakpro.com/evidence, accessed February, 2022.

10 Appleton, J., & Voss S.C. (2020) Motion-based beamformer steering leads to better speech understanding and overall listening experience. Phonak Field Study News. Retrieved fromwww.phonakpro.com/evidence. Accessed August 2022.

11 Winneke, A., Schulte, M., Vormann, M., Latzel, M. (2018). Spatial noise processing in hearing aids modulates neural markers linked to listening effort: an EEG study. AudiologyOnline, Article 23858.

12 Ricketts TA. Directional hearing aids: then and now. J Rehabil Res Dev 2005;42(4, Suppl 2):133–144.

13 Bentler RA. Effectiveness of Directional Microphones and Noise Reduction Schemes in Hearing Aids: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. J Am Acad Audiol 2005;16(07):473–484.
Mueller GH, Ricketts TA. Directional-microphone hearing aids: an update. Hear J 2000;53 (05):10–19 perception. Phonak Field Study News retrieved from www. phonakpro.com/evidence, accessed May 2022.

14 Brungart, D.S., Cohen, J., Cord, M., Zion, D., & Kalluri, S. (2014). Assessment of auditory spatial awareness in complex listening environments. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 136(4), 1808. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4893932.

15 Woodward,J and Latzel, M (2022) New implementation of directional beamforming configurations show improved speech understanding and reduced listening effort. Phonak Field Study News in preparation. Expected end of 2022.

16 Hornsby, B.W.Y. (2013). The effects of hearing aid use on listening effort and mental fatigue associated with sustained speech processing demands. Ear and Hearing, 34(5), 523–534. https://doi.org/10.1097/AUD.0b013e31828003d8.

17 Picou, E.M., Ricketts, T.A., & Hornsby, B.W.Y. (2013). How hearing aids, background noise, and visual cues influence objective listening effort. Ear and Hearing, 34(5), e52– e64. https://doi.org/10.1097/AUD.0b013e31827f0431.

18 Pichora-Fuller, M.K., & Singh, G. (2006). Effects of Age on Auditory and Cognitive Processing: Implications for Hearing Aid Fitting and Audiologic Rehabilitation. Trends in
Amplification, 10(1), 29–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/108471380601000103.

19 Winkler, A., Latzel, M., & Holube, I. (2016). Open Versus Closed Hearing-Aid Fittings: A Literature Review of Both Fitting Approaches. Trends in hearing, 20, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/2331216516631741.

20 Latzel, M & Hobi, S (20 22) ActiveV ent™ Receiver pr ovides benefit of open and closed acoustics for b etter speech under standing in noise and natur alness of own voice, accessed August 2022.

21 Nilsson, M. & Omisore, D., (2017). The Phonak rechargeable solution: Part 2. Phonak Field Study News, retrieved from www.phonakpro.com/evidence, accessed February 19th, 2018.

22 Knorr, H. (2022). Market Research ID 4543. Please contact marketinsight@phonak.com if you are interested in further information.

23 Kuo, P. L., Di, J., Ferrucci, L., & Lin, F. R. (2021). Analysis of hearing loss and physical activity among US adults aged 60-69 years. JAMA Network Open, 4(4), e215484-e215484.
Tsimpida, D., Kontopantelis, E., Ashcroft, D., & Panagioti, M. (2019). Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with hearing loss in older adults: a cross-sectional study of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). BMJ Open, 9(9), e031030. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031030.
Wells, T. S., Nickels, L. D., Rush, S. R., Musich, S. A., Wu, L., Bhattarai, G. R., & Yeh, C. S. (2020). Characteristics and Health Outcomes Associated With Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Use Among Older Adults. J Aging Health, 32(7-8), 724-734. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264319848866.

24 Buyl, R., Beogo, I., Fobelets, M., Deletroz, C., van Landuyt, P., Dequanter, S., Gorus, E., Bourbonnais, A., Bourbonnais, A., Giguère, A., Giguère, A., Giguère, A., Lechasseur, K., Gagnon, M. P., Gagnon, M. P., & Gagnon, M. P. (2020). E-Health interventions for healthy aging: A systematic review. Systematic Reviews, 9(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-020-01385-8.