Cochlear announces availability of Cochlear™ Baha® 5 Power and Baha 5 SuperPower, two new powerful bone conduction sound processors for those with higher degrees of hearing loss

CENTENNIAL, Colo., June 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH), the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, announces today the commercial availability of the Baha^® 5 Power and Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processors in the United States. This completes the Baha 5 Sound Processor Portfolio, the industry's widest and most powerful portfolio of bone conduction solutions.¹

The new Baha 5 Power and Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processors are now available to those with greater levels of mixed hearing loss, up to 55 dB sensorineural hearing level (SNHL) for Power and 65 db SNHL for SuperPower.

Broadest bone conduction sound processor portfolio
With the addition of the Power and SuperPower, the Baha 5 portfolio provides the widest range of sound processors, including the industry's smallest, smartest and most powerful head-worn bone conduction solutions for those with single-sided deafness (SSD) or have conductive or mixed hearing loss.^1,2 The entire Baha 5 portfolio provides customers with the ability to hear better across noisy environments, connect wirelessly to a variety of electronic devices, and provide direct-to-device wireless streaming and control with Made for iPhone^® support.

"We are pleased to announce the availability of the Baha 5 Power and Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processors to our customers," said Tony Manna, President of Cochlear North America. "We are providing a portfolio with a range of solutions to fit our customer's specific hearing loss need, which is incredibly important as we work to deliver innovative products to the marketplace. Our customers need devices that help them hear no matter where life takes them, and they are increasingly seeking products with wireless and smartphone connected capabilities. The Baha 5 portfolio of sound processors provides all of that."

The Baha 5 portfolio is comprised of three industry-leading devices for varying degrees of hearing loss:

• Baha 5 Sound Processor: Launched last year, the Baha 5 Sound Processor is the industry's smallest bone conduction sound processor with a fitting range up to 45 dB SNHL.² It is also the implantable hearing industry's first Made for iPhone hearing device.
• Baha 5 Power Sound Processor: The newest device in the Baha 5 System, the Baha 5 Power Sound Processor is created for those who need additional amplification because of a greater degree of hearing loss up to 55 dB SNHL.
• Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processor: Cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this year, the Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processor is the strongest member of the Baha portfolio and the most powerful head-worn solution in the industry.¹ It is also the industry's first and only behind-the-ear bone conduction solution with a fitting range up to 65 dB SNHL.

As the most powerful solution in the Baha 5 portfolio, the Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processor is designed to help those who often struggle more than most to hear and understand speech, especially in noisy situations. Many customers may also currently use a body-worn solution but still have difficulty due to insufficient features and outdated audio processing technology. The behind-the-ear Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processor features ear level, dual microphones to improve sound capture, an LED indicator light on the device to indicate if it is working properly, a flexible earhook offered in a variety of sizes for comfort, easy to use volume and program control buttons to allow users more control over their hearing, and it comes with a convenient rechargeable battery.

The Baha 5 Power Sound Processor is designed for customers who need more power, longer battery life and on-device control. It provides users more control over their hearing by featuring a volume rocker for easy volume control and an LED indicator light on the device to indicate if the device is working properly. In addition, the device has a long battery life, providing up to 160 hours depending on streaming and daily usage.

All sound processors in the Baha 5 portfolio share the same unique technology building blocks to deliver a smart and seamless hearing experience to all users. Each device in the portfolio also provides the customer an option between two sound processor connection options: an abutment system (Baha Connect System) and a magnetic system (Baha Attract System).

Smart connectivity
The Baha 5 portfolio consists of smart processors with direct-to-device wireless streaming and control with Made for iPhone support. This provides a direct connection to iPhone^®, iPad^® and iPod touch^® devices for phone calls, FaceTime^® calls and music in high-quality stereo sound, with no intermediary device needed. 

The smart processors also support Bluetooth^® Smart technology, the Baha 5 Smart App, and access to Cochlear™ True Wireless™ accessories.

The Baha 5 Smart App is the first Smart App for bone conduction devices. The Smart App allows for advanced control of all Baha 5 sound processors and wireless accessories, further personalization and support directly from iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Through the Smart App, a user can quickly and easily change programs, adjust volume, modify treble and bass, save custom settings for favorite locations, and receive help finding a sound processor if misplaced.

All Baha 5 sound processors are designed to help customers experience clearer, crisper sound and hear what people are saying even in noisy environments. The key to the sound experience is the revolutionary SmartSound^® iQ technology, which automatically selects the appropriate program based on where one is located and optimizes the sound to enhance hearing in that listening environment. Whether at work or in a noisy restaurant, a user won't have to guess which setting is best; the sound processor will decide.

The Baha 5 Power and Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processors are now available commercially for customers in the U.S. The Baha 5 has been commercially available in the U.S. since April 2015.

About Bone Conduction Implants
Bone conduction systems are a proven medical option for adults and children with conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss, and single-sided sensorineural deafness meeting the candidacy criteria. While a hearing aid tries to push sound through the damaged part of the ear, bone conduction systems bypass the damaged area and send sound directly to the inner ear. They are designed to help those who receive little or no benefit from hearing aids hear and communicate more effectively. 

About Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH)
Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. The company has a global workforce of 2,800 people and invests more than AUS$100 million a year in research and development. Products include cochlear implants, bone conduction and acoustic implants, which are designed to treat a range of moderate to profound types of hearing loss.

Over 450,000 people of all ages, across more than 100 countries, now hear because of Cochlear.

www.cochlear.com/us

1. Norrman, J, Review of fitting ranges. Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions AB, D773528, 2015.

2. Flynn MC. Smart and Small –innovative technologies behind the Cochlear Baha 5 Sound Processor. Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions AB, 629761, 2015.

Cochlear Baha 5 sound processors are compatible with iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone SE, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad (4th generation), iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2, iPad mini with retina display, iPad mini and iPod touch (5th generation) running iOS 7.X or later.

The Cochlear Baha 5 Smart App works together with all Cochlear Baha 5 sound processors. It is verified on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch running iOS 9.1. For more detailed device compatibility see the Baha 5 Smart App description on the App Store.

The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Cochlear is under license.

iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and FaceTime are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.

©Cochlear Limited 2016. All rights reserved. Hear now. And always and other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of Cochlear Limited or Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions AB. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Cochlear Limited

Related Links

http://www.cochlear.com/us