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18/04/2018 | 12:20 CEST | Phonak

Phonak broadens industry-leading lithium-ion rechargeable hearing solutions portfolio with new wireless CROS B-R

Stäfa, Switzerland, April 18, 2018 – Phonak, the leading global provider of hearing instruments and wireless communication solutions, today announces the launch of its new CROS B-R device, the company’s first Contralateral Routing of Signal (CROS) device with a lithium-ion (Li-ion) rechargeable battery. The CROS B-R provides single-sided deaf clients a smart solution with a rechargeable battery that lasts for one day of hearing from both sides with no battery hassles. It broadens the company’s industry-leading portfolio of Li-ion rechargeable hearing solutions on its successful Belong™platform.

“Losing the function in one ear severely limits a person’s hearing on a variety of levels. They can have difficulty determining where an unseen sound originates from, such as oncoming traffic outside of their field of vision,” explained Christine Jones, Vice President of Audiology at Phonak U.S. “Holding a conversation in noisy environments is also extremely challenging, particularly when the speaker is on the non-hearing side. That’s why we’re so excited to introduce our rechargeable CROS B-R wireless device. It combines excellent hearing performance of a Phonak CROS device with the proven benefits of the Phonak rechargeable technology ”

Single-sided deafness, a form of untreated hearing loss can have significant repercussions on a person’s work and personal lives. The World Health Organization reports 466 million people worldwide suffer from disabling hearing loss, and estimates the annual cost to countries in direct health services and lost productivity at $750 billion.1 

Often patients with single-sided deafness (SSD2) are left untreated and are not necessarily aware that there are other treatment options besides corrective surgery. The Phonak CROS B-R provides an alternative to surgery that does not compromize on audiological benefits. Indeed Phonak new device offers excellent speech understanding in noise thanks to Binaural Voice Stream Technology™. In addition, it is easy to fit and demo, so clients can instantly experience the benefits Phonak CROS B-R provides.

As part of the Phonak CROS B product line, the CROS B-R system consists of the CROS device for the non-hearing ear and a Phonak Audéo™ B-R, in the other ear. The CROS B-R device microphone picks up sound from the non-hearing ear and wirelessly transfers it to the Audéo B-R instantaneously. Clients are able to use the same smart charging options for both devices. In addition, the CROS B-R is Phonak’s first CROS device to include a Li-ion rechargeable battery, which addresses a unmet market need.3

“The CROS B-R overcomes one of the most common issues for SSD clients who use CROS systems – high battery consumption,” added Christine Jones. “The combination of the CROS B-R and Audéo B-R is a life changing solution for SSD clients because they do not have to undergo risky surgery or settle for the common misperception that ‘you only need one good ear.’” 

The Phonak CROS B-R will be available as of April 23, 2018.

For more information, please visit www.phonak.com, www.phonakpro.com

 

  1. Lisa Schlein, VOA “WHO: Nearly 1 Billion People Risk Hearing Loss by 2050,” March 3, 2018 - https://www.voanews.com/a/world-health-organization-hearing-loss/4278903.html
  2. Single sided deafness, also known as SSD, is typically caused by viral infections, Meniere's disease, head or ear injuries, or through surgical intervention to remove brain tumors. https://www.hear-it.org/single-sided-deafness
  3. Abrams_HB,_Kihm_J._An_Introduction_to_MarkeTrak_IX:_A_New_Baseline_for_the_Hearing_Aid_Market._Hearing_Review._2015;22(6):16._Published_on_May_15,_2015_ http://www.hearingreview.com/2015/05/introduction-marketrak-ix-new-baseline-hearing-aid-market

About Phonak 

In 2017, Phonak, a member of the Sonova Group, proudly celebrated its 70th anniversary.

Headquartered near Zurich, Switzerland, Phonak was born in 1947 out of a passion for taking on the most difficult hearing challenges. Seventy years later, this passion remains. As the industry’s leading provider, we offer the broadest portfolio of life-changing hearing solutions. From pediatric to profound hearing loss, we remain committed to creating hearing solutions that change people’s lives to thrive socially and emotionally. We believe in creating a world where ‘Life is on’ for everyone.

 

At Phonak, we believe that hearing well is essential to living life to the fullest. For 70 years, we’ve remained true to our mission, creating life-changing hearing solutions to help people thrive socially and emotionally. 
Life is on.

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