Advanced Bionics (AB), a California-based cochlear implant technology company that is part of the Sonova Group, has announced the future compatibility and availability of the Phonak EasyCall and DECT Phone solutions for use with the Naída CI Q70 (Naída CI) sound processor. AB reports that the EasyCall and DECT Phone accessories are designed to improve speech understanding for cochlear implant users when talking on the phone, without any intermediary device required. Compatibility of these accessories with the Naída CI sound processor will be enabled with the next release of SoundWave, AB’s signature fitting software.
“With the AB and Phonak wireless accessories, our recipients can talk on the phone, stream songs, watch TV shows, hear voices clearly in loud settings and over distance—all with just the touch of a button,” said Hansjuerg Emch, president of Advanced Bionics and Group Vice President of the Sonova Medical Division and AB. “With the addition of the EasyCall and DECT Phone accessories, AB recipients can now enjoy improved understanding on the phone without the need for intermediary devices.”
The Phonak EasyCall accessory
According to the company, the Phonak EasyCall* accessory is designed to provide universal, discreet, and hassle-free communication with any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone. The accessory attaches directly to the phone, and streams directly to both ears for best sound quality and speech intelligibility. The EasyCall supports all brands of cell phones, including iPhone and Samsung, and no intermediary device is needed.
Phonak DECT Phone
The Phonak DECT Phone* is a cordless phone for everyone that provides an easy-to-use phone option at home or at work. The company says that with DECT Phone, calls can be heard clearly via a landline phone, and that hearing aid users experience 40% better speech understanding. The DECT Phone is said to transmit sound directly to one or both ears to reduce noise and maximize understanding of speech. Family members without hearing loss can use the DECT Phone just like a regular phone, and no intermediary device is required.
The addition of the EasyCall and DECT Phone solutions expands the portfolio of AB compatible wireless accessories from Phonak, the company reports, which already includes the ComPilot, RemoteMic, and TVLink, as well as the Roger system. Together, AB and Phonak provide a broad portfolio of wireless solutions for cochlear implant (CI) recipients. These accessories are designed to help CI recipients perform better in challenging listening situations, especially over distance and in extreme noise. They also give AB recipients access to today’s popular media, as well as greater comfort and sound clarity during everyday activities.
*Existing Naída CI processor users require software upgrade to use this accessory
Source: Advanced Bionics
Need to know cost of device and where do I get it.