Advances in hearing aid technology generally translate to improved hearing performance. New hearing platforms tend to be an improvement on previous generations, but only once in a while do we see hearing technology that significantly raises the bar in hearing performance.
With Phonak Infinio, the latest hearing platform from leading hearing aid manufacturer Phonak, we think it’s fair to say the bar has indeed been raised. The Infinio platform offers unparalleled connectivity and hearing performance, as well as improved quality and reliability. And the real star of the show, Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio, can achieve unprecedented levels of speech understanding in noisy environments.
A new chip, improved performance
All Infinio hearing aids feature the new ERA chip, an ultra-responsive chip that has even more processing power and wireless performance.
- A powerhouse of a chip, completing more than 550 million operations per second and capable of full day runtime (16-18 hours of normal use).
- Up to 6x more transmission power thanks to a new antenna design, that can double the transmission distance for more stable Bluetooth connections and uninterrupted hands-free phone calls.
- A new level of digital signal processing for exceptional sound quality, with 93% of users preferring the initial sound quality of Infinio over leading competitors.
- Instant compatibility with almost all Bluetooth enabled devices (Android and iPhone phones, and all brands of tablets and computers). Infinio is also Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast ready – while compatible devices are thin on the ground at present, this Bluetooth protocol optimised for audio will become more common in the future.
- AutoSense OS and SmartSpeech performance technology that underpins Infinio. AutoSense OS analyses the environment 700 times a second to optimise the hearing aid specifically for the environment you are in, orchestrating SmartSpeech technologies to reduce listening effort when hearing from a distance by 39% (think, another room), reduce unwanted noise and enhance speech understanding in a variety of environments (up to 6dB in noise). More detail on some of the SmartSpeech features can be found in our blog on Phonak Lumity.
The Infinio family
Phonak Infinio is available in three models, each designed to meet specific needs:
- Audéo Infinio R: a rechargeable receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid, versatile and suitable for various hearing loss.
- Audéo Sphere Infinio: an advanced rechargeable RIC hearing aid that incorporates the latest AI denoising technology (more later), designed for enhanced speech understanding and sound clarity.
- Audéo Infinio CROS: similar in appearance to the Audéo Infinio R, this model is designed for individuals with complete hearing loss on one ear.
- Virto Infinio custom: these in-the-ear hearing aids will be available later in the year in a rechargeable wireless in-the-canal (ITC) model, battery-powered completely-in-canal (CIC), and titanium invisible-in-canal models.
Durability has been significantly enhanced with the Infinio RIC and CROS hearing aids, with extensive testing resulting in an IP68 rating offering excellent protection against water and dust.
Infinio now features additional microphone protection, silicon-sealed seams, and a parylene coating.
The star of the show – Audéo Sphere Infinio
Audéo Sphere Infinio is the world’s first hearing aid to apply artificial intelligence (AI) and a deep neural network (DNN) to sound processing to separate unwanted noise from speech. Lots of jargon we know, but the performance really is remarkable. And since hearing in noise is the number one challenge for most people with hearing loss, this is getting us audiologists incredibly excited!
The standout feature of the Audéo Sphere Infinio is Spheric Speech Clarity, a revolutionary AI-based solution designed to remove noise and enhance speech. The only hearing aid with Spheric Speech Clarity, Audéo Sphere Infinio will allow you to:
- Navigate even louder environments without an increase in listening effort.1
- Significantly improve speech understanding with Spheric Speech Clarity compared to two leading competitor devices – be 2-3 times more likely to understand speech from any direction.1
- With an unprecedented 10dB improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), you will be able to catch conversations from any angle.2 A 10dB improvement may not sound like much, but an improvement of that magnitude can result in speech understanding in complex noise environments that is similar to someone with normal hearing. Additionally, speech understanding improved by up to 36.8% compared to two leading competitor devices.2
The technology behind Spheric Speech Clarity is impressive. It is made possible due to a second, dedicated AI computer chip (DEEPSONIC) that gives Sphere Infinio the computing grunt to prioritise speech over noise:
- 53x more processing power, for a hearing experience like no other
- Completes 7,700 million operations per second
- Has a DNN with 4.5 million parameters, trained on 22 million sound samples
It’s worth noting Audéo Sphere Infinio is only available for the 70 and 90 level technology levels at this stage.
You might also be interested in watching this video of audiologist Cliff Olsen, talking about Audéo Sphere Infinio.
Try for yourself
We have a limited number of trial Audéo Sphere Infinio hearing aids available for loan. We would love you to try these hearing aids for yourself and are offering you the opportunity of a two-week trial. As you’ll know, we don’t charge for this service, so if you are thinking this product might be for you, what do you have to lose?
Please call Helen on 09 309 1018 to make an appointment. Alternatively, book online here and choose “Trial of Infinio Hearing Aids”. Please note that, if you book online, we may need to reschedule you if we don’t have trial stock available for your appointment.
1 Wright, A., et al “Spheric Speech Clarity applies DNN signal processing to significantly improve speech understanding from any direction and reduce the listening effort.” Phonak Field Study News in preparation expected August 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