MED-EL has received FDA approval for the latest generation BTE cochlear implant processor – the SONNET. The processor will be available in the spring of 2015.
The processor has one battery option – two zinc-air cells, providing up to 60 hours of battery life. The battery cover accepts 3-pin FM connectors, and also features a direct audio input port.
In addition to a built-in telecoil, a 2.4GHz radio is included for future connectivity options.
SONNET is water-resistant, with an IP54 rating. With only a zinc-air battery option available at the moment, a fully waterproof system seems like it needs to wait for a rechargeable battery option.
MED-EL has received FDA approval for the WaterWear waterproof cover for the RONDO processor. Grab your swim trunks and dive in! WaterWear should be available in early 2015.
Advanced Bionics will restart the warranty period for Naída CI Q70 processors and accessories – including batteries – to January 1st, 2015. This letter applies to users in the US and Canada. Read the letter to clinicians here.
If history is any guide, current Naída users will hear from Advanced Bionics directly with details. Stay tuned to CochlearImplantHELP.com for updates.
Cochlear has received approval for some new algorithms for the Nucleus 6 processor. The approval is for the Nucleus Hybrid L24 system, but it wouldn’t be surprising if users of Nucleus 6 processors without the Acoustic Component will also be able to take advantage of them. The algorithms are:
Wind Noise Reduction
Signal to Noise ratio-based noise reduction (possibly similar to ClearVoice)
SCAN (scene classifier function, which can be used to automatically switch between different programs for different environments)
OtoSense is a new app for Android and iOS (coming soon) that can identify important sounds in your life. When the app is running, it continuously analyzes your environment to detect sounds such as a doorbell, smoke detector, or telephone. When it finds a match, it notifies you via flash, vibration, or third-party notification.
A small library of sounds is included, and you can record your own important sounds to add to the list.
Because OtoSense continually analyzes the sound environment, it does increase the drain on your battery. The app is nice enough to give you warnings when you open it, requiring you to confirm that you do want it to run. It also keeps a small icon in the notification bar to remind you that it is running.
The company is working on improving battery life, and also on adding to the library of sounds. Download OtoSense now to try it out for free!
Advanced Bionics announces the launch of a completely redesigned and reimagined online resource, The Listening Room™, developed to help cochlear implant recipients get the maximum benefit from their devices.
From bath time, swimming and snorkeling, to skiing, trail hiking, mountain biking, mud running and rock climbing, the durable AquaCase offers Advanced Bionics recipients uncompromised hearing performance and peace of mind during even the most rugged adventures. To ensure it safeguards the Naída CI sound processor in any environment, the AquaCase features a security lock and special corrosion-resistant materials that stand up to water, dirt, mud, sand and other grime. Recipients can wear it just how they like it, with a compatible clothing clip, on an armband* or securely attached to a lanyard.
The Naída CI Q70 processor is inserted into the AquaCase, with a waterproof connector plugged into the headpiece cable socket. And a T-mic or ear hook fits into the AquaCase so there is no need to remove them. The AquaMic waterproof headpiece microphone is connected to the external portion of the waterproof connector. In order to minimize the size of the AquaCase, only the smallest rechargeable batteries, the PowerCel 110, will fit inside.
Over time the only part of the system that may occasionally need to be replaced is the O-ring seal, which is easily accomplished without any tools.
Pricing for the AquaCase and accessories is $475, and if you don’t already have an AquaMic and AquaMic cable, the complete system is $950. Until December 31st, 2014, Advanced Bionics is offering a $100 discount on either the AquaCase or the AquaCase & AquaMic in the United States. Contact customer service to order yours today!
Cochlear implant recipients and candidates often ask whether they should wear some form of medical ID. Cochlear Implant HELP has cut through the anecdotes, interviewed medical professionals, and has assembled the information to help you make your own decision.
Malala Yousafzay, the Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot in the head by the Taliban for expressing her views on promoting education for girls in the Swat Valley has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Starting at the age of 11 or 12, Malala began blogging about life under the Taliban. Despite the risks, she became more vocal and public, particularly about the right for girls to receive an education.
One of the many injuries suffered during her attack on October 9, 2012 was the loss of hearing in her left ear. Malala received a cochlear implant, which was activated in October 2013.
And on October 10, 2014, almost exactly two years to the day after being shot, Malala became the youngest person ever to have received the Nobel Peace Prize.
The wireless accessories for the Cochlear Nucleus 6 system have been delayed. Shipments are now expected to start in February 2015, as opposed to the original shipment date of 1 December 2014.
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