Siemens Hearing Instruments Launches BestSound(TM) Technology

PISCATAWAY, N.J. and ERLANGEN, Germany, March 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc., (SHI) today announced a new product line based on the company's BestSound Technology. For over 130 years Siemens has been a leader in hearing aid design and now, with BestSound Technology, the company has pushed the market standard to a new level. Siemens BestSound Technology is a sophisticated suite of device features which include SpeechFocus™, FeedbackStopper™ and SoundLearning® 2.0.

"Siemens is proud of the innovations achieved with the BestSound Technology platform," said Brian Kinnerk, CEO of Siemens Hearing Instruments in the Americas. "The BestSound Technology truly combines science with subtlety; giving each wearer an automatically customized hearing solution."

SpeechFocus™

Directional microphone technology is the only feature proven to enhance speech intelligibility in difficult environments. Siemens SpeechFocus ensures that the optimal directional pattern for speech understanding is automatically engaged, even in the noisiest environments. SpeechFocus continuously analyzes the environment to detect speech in order to focus in the appropriate direction. Through the use of these improved directional microphones, SpeechFocus improves SRT by up to 4 dB in challenging situations and improved intelligibility in low noise situations by up to 7 dB.

FeedbackStopper™

BestSound Technology dramatically improves wearer comfort by suppressing embarrassing and annoying feedback whistling without introducing artifacts. FeedbackStopper employs Siemens patented Acoustic Fingerprint Technology to distinguish between feedback and signals that mimic feedback. This technology marks the amplified signal that leaves the instrument receiver, allowing it to be easily identified as feedback in future situations. FeedbackStopper achieves an extremely fast adaptation by using a frequency shift of 20 Hz to break the feedback loop, ensuring that feedback is virtually eliminated before it becomes noticeable.

SoundLearning 2.0®

Siemens SoundLearning 2.0 learns the wearer's listening preferences in specific situations and automatically adjusts itself when in similar sound environments. SoundLearning 2.0 records every adjustment the user makes to the volume or SoundBalance, as well as the currently detected listening situation. These memorized settings lead to a dedicated frequency response as well as compression setting for speech, noise and music.

Featured in Pure®, Siemens Life™ and Motion® – BestSound Technology covers the appropriate performance levels for all relevant hearing losses. BestSound devices are Tek® compatible, discreet and comfortable – designed for mild to severe hearing losses.

About Siemens Healthcare

The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 48,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2009 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 11.9 billion euros and profit of around 1.5 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.

SOURCE Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc.