Unprecedented interest in Infinio sound demo at EUHA 2024
Phonak’s immersive live demo at EUHA 2024 drew significant attention, showcasing the real-world performance of Infinio and generating strong excitement and positive feedback.
EUHA, the International Congress of Hearing Aid Acousticians and Industry Exhibition, stands as the world’s largest international hearing care congress,1 renowned for advancing audiology and providing a platform for hearing care professionals to exchange knowledge and explore the latest innovations.
This year’s congress, held from October 16-18, 2024, in Hanover, Germany, was a pivotal moment for Phonak to spotlight Audéo Infinio through an immersive, interactive sound demonstration.
The demo attracted strong interest as attendees eagerly lined up to experience how Audéo Infinio enhances speech understanding in noisy environments, addressing real-world challenges like conversations in restaurants, crowded events, and social gatherings.
Unprecedented interest and positive feedback
The demo was attended by more than 900 attendees over the three days, drawing attention with the promise of showcasing the AI-driven technology. Participants were excited to wear headphones and witness firsthand how Infinio’s features, such as StereoZoom 2.0 and Spheric Speech Clarity, make a noticeable difference in daily life. Feedback was very positive, with many noting the demo’s realistic portrayal of challenging listening situations and the potential benefits for their clients.
A real-world listening experience
Phonak’s demonstration setup featured two KEMAR mannequins equipped with different sets of hearing aids to facilitate a direct A-B comparison (see Figure 1). Attendees had the ability to switch between the devices from their seats, allowing them to evaluate the differences in performance at their own pace.
The setup, contained within a specially designed portable container, ensured consistent, controlled sound conditions and enhanced the sustainability of the exhibit.
Simulating real-world noise environments
The container was equipped with 16 studio loudspeakers arranged in two concentric rings around the mannequins, simulating an authentic, multidirectional noise environment similar to a busy restaurant.
This provided a complex auditory setting where noise surrounded the listener, including from the direction of speech, to illustrate how the devices performed in real-life situations.
Highlighting advanced features: StereoZoom 2.0 and Spheric Speech Clarity
The demo began with StereoZoom 2.0, Phonak’s advanced directional microphone technology that enhances speech understanding in loud environments. Attendees witnessed an SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) benefit of 6.4 dB compared to an omnidirectional microphone setting,2 demonstrating its practical real-world application.
The demo also showcased Spheric Speech Clarity, Phonak’s latest innovation, which provided an SNR benefit of up to 10.2 dB,2 surpassing existing technologies in delivering clear and distinct speech even amidst surrounding noise. The positive response from attendees underscored the significance of this advancement for everyday listening challenges in noise.
A direct comparison: Facing noise from all angles
A key highlight was the direct comparison between Spheric Speech Clarity and StereoZoom 2.0 with speech coming from both the front and the side. This scenario demonstrated how traditional directional microphones can sometimes capture unwanted noise from the direction of speech.
In contrast, Spheric Speech Clarity demonstrated an excellent ability in isolating speech from the noise, regardless of its origin, ensuring consistent performance even when speech came from the side.
Leading the way in hearing technology
Both Spheric Speech Clarity and StereoZoom 2.0 have proven to be key features that enhance speech understanding in noisy conditions and surpass key competitors in SNR benefits.3-4
The demo reinforced attendees’ confidence in Phonak Infinio’s capability to meet the needs of clients in demanding, noisy environments. Participants left the event with a strong sense of the practical improvements Phonak’s advancements can bring to users’ everyday experiences.
Hearing truly is believing. To witness these innovations firsthand, contact your Phonak representative to arrange a live demo. To find detailed product information and a listening simulation, visit our Infinio product pages.
References:
1 EUHA Congress & Exhibition. About Us. Retrieved from https://www.ausstellung-euha.org/en/about-us/, accessed November, 2024.
2 Raufer, S., Kohlhauer, P., Jehle, F., Kühnel, V., Preuss, M., Hobi, S. (2024). Spheric Speech Clarity proven to outperform three key competitors for clear speech in noise. Phonak Field Study News, retrieved from https://www.phonak.com/evidence
3 Woodward, J. & Latzel, M. (2022). New implementation of directional beamforming configurations show improved speech understanding and reduced listening effort. Phonak Field Study News, retrieved from www.phonak.com/evidence.
4 Wright, A., Kuehnel, V., Keller, M., Seitz-Paquette, K., Latzel, M. (2024). Spheric Speech Clarity applies DNN signal processing to significantly improve speech understanding from any direction and reduce the listening effort. Phonak Field Study News, retrieved from https://www.phonak.com/evidence