Cochlear Americas, Centennial, Colo, has gotten FDA clearance for its Cochlear Baha BP100 sound processor, a programmable bone conduction hearing solution that is suitable for many children and adults with conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss, or single-sided sensorineural deafness, says the company.

The BP100 improves on previous systems by offering a bone-anchored hearing solution with advanced automatic digital signal processing, says the company. The automatic signal processing functions automatically adapt to the user’s sound environment, helping to provide greater audibility and listening comfort across different listening environments, according to the company.

Adults are now able to transition easily to different listening environments without degradation in hearing performance, says the company.

For more information about the device, see the article published in HR‘s April 2009 issue.

The BP100 was redesigned based on feedback from recipients, parents, and clinicians, says the company. It is more water protected than before, and incorporates features for children, such as tamper-resistant battery doors, a key-lock function, and a titanium and plastic casing for maximum durability. For clinicians, the Cochlear Fitting Software and three distinct fitting options provide flexibility for better fitting precision than before, says the company.

The Baha system sends external sounds to the inner ear through the bone by passing the outer and middle ear, according to the company. Bone-anchored hearing solutions are designed to provide audibility and to improve the communication abilities of those who receive little or no benefit from hearing aids.

[Source: Cochlear Americas]