Infinio Ultra: Making life easier for professionals and clients

With every new generation of technology, Phonak aims to make hearing care not only smarter but also more personalized. The new Infinio Ultra platform continues this tradition, advancing reliability, workflow efficiency, and person-centered care that supports both professionals and clients in everyday practice.

Audiologist Davina Omisore spoke with Dr. Maren Stropahl about how innovations like EasyGuard™ and APD 3.0 simplify the fitting process and help create a more convenient experience on both sides of the fitting chair.

Interview:

Davina: Maren, in your current role as Director of Holistic Hearing Care and Head of Audiology at Sonova Audiological Care, you bring a strong clinical perspective to the development process. From your point of view, what was the overarching goal behind Infinio Ultra?

Maren: Our goal was to make the fitting experience as seamless and reassuring as possible for both professionals and clients. We wanted to remove small barriers, improve reliability, and make it easier for hearing care professionals to focus on people rather than technical details.

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Davina: One of the major new features in Infinio Ultra is EasyGuard. What makes this innovation so impactful in helping both professionals and clients in real-world settings?

Maren: Most of our clients are older adults, typically over 70, and for them, handling small devices can be challenging. Dexterity issues make it difficult to change domes or wax filters, and wax buildup is one of the top reasons for service appointments.

Our R&D colleagues developed a clever solution, the EasyGuard dome, which uses a special mechanical membrane to protect the receiver from wax while maintaining clear sound. The membrane is acoustically transparent and therefore sound quality remains as good as usual, but the system is much more reliable. It helps ensure that devices keep functioning well and first assessments have been shown that EasyGuard can reduce service appointments by up to 38 percent.

That’s good news for hearing care professionals because, instead of spending time repairing hearing devices, they can spend more time taking care of clients, which is really the most important part.

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Davina: How do you see EasyGuard changing the daily workflow in clinics?

Maren: It really supports both sides. For the client, it means fewer interruptions and more confidence that their devices will keep working as expected. For the professional, it saves time and reduces the stress of repeat visits for maintenance, with the reassurance that their clients have well-functioning devices.

It’s one of those innovations that quietly improves efficiency without adding complexity, and that makes a big difference in the rhythm of a busy practice.

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Davina: Another improvement you’ve highlighted is the new first-fit experience. What has changed, and why does it matter?

Maren: People who come to the clinic for the first time can easily be overwhelmed. They’re receiving a lot of new information, and it’s a big emotional moment. The new first-fit algorithm, APD 3.0, really helps hearing care professionals fit the device quickly and with high quality, so that clients accept the sound in that first moment.

It’s so important that the first experience feels comfortable and natural, because that determines whether clients will take the device home, use it, and come back ready to continue their hearing journey.

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Davina: From your perspective, how do these new tools support person-centered hearing care?

Maren: For me, person-centered care means that the HCP has enough time and focus to understand and counsel the client on their individual hearing needs, having the setup and tech available that makes the process as easy and reassuring as possible. Features like EasyGuard and APD 3.0 take away small barriers, things that might otherwise clients in their interaction or use of our hearing solutions or take valuable time away from the HCP to counsel.

When professionals can focus more on the conversation and less on technical adjustments, that’s when hearing care becomes truly person-centered.

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Davina: Infinio Ultra also brings refinements behind the scenes, like in fitting software and workflow design. Why are those improvements important?

Maren: We’re not only working on the hearing aid itself. We’re also improving the daily management tools that professionals use. With this launch, there’s a faster feedback test, better guidance, and more intuitive steps throughout the fitting process.

Those things might seem small, but they add up. When fitting feels smoother and more predictable, professionals feel more confident, and that confidence transfers to the client experience.

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Davina: Looking ahead, what do you think Infinio Ultra will be most remembered for in the clinical setting?

Maren: I think it will be remembered for making things easier for both clients and professionals. The combination of reliability, sound quality, and streamlined workflow really creates a new level of efficiency and trust in the fitting process.

Also EasyGuard will have a big impact on HCPs and their clients. These new domes will help to ensure hearing solutions to work reliably taking away stress and frustration from HCPs and clients using the devices.

And personally, I love that we’re keeping the focus where it belongs, helping people reconnect with the sounds and moments that shape their lives.

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Davina: Thank you, Maren. It’s clear that Infinio Ultra is as much about improving the experience of care as it is about advancing technology.

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To learn more about Phonak Infinio Ultra, we invite you to www.phonak.com.