Audioflex 127 BTE FM

1

• Audioflex 127 BTE FM
• - when an ordinary hearing instrument is not
  enough...

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when an ordinary hearing instrument is not
enough...
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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Why FM?
Noise and Reverberation
Acoustically speaking
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
4
Why FM?

• Distance from the sound source is a concern.
• Background noise levels are a problem.
• Room reverberation or echo is an issue.
• Loudness is not the answer to the problem.

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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Limitations of Hearing Aids

• Amplify all sounds including background noise
• Do not distinguish between speech and noise
• Do not correct a loss of speech discrimination
• Directional Microphones only do part of the job!

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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FM Transmission
Why FM?

• Amplifies the speaker not background noise
• Helps distinguish between speech and background
  noise
• Helps in speech discrimination
• Achieves an improved S/N ratio and up to 32
  improved speech recognition (Hawkins 1984)
• Much better than Directional Microphones

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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Adult FM Use/Purchase

• Psychological
• Hassle
• Manipulation
• Impairment

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
8
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Psychological

• Patient hearing difficulties
• Stigma of FM use
• Readiness of the patient to call attention
  to hearing loss
• Assertiveness of the patient

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
9
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Hassle

• Does the benefit offset the difficulties
• Embarrassment in public.
• Use of a larger hearing aid.
• Extra cost of the system.

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
10
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Manipulation

• Hearing Aid
• Transmitter
• Accessories

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
11
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Impairment

• Severe/Profound?
• Moderate
• Speech Discrimination?
• Situations

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
12
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Impairment
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
13
Competitive Analysis
127 BTE FM
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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Competitive Analysis
Proposed Microlink Advantages
Small, Lightweight and Cosmetic,
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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Competitive Analysis
Small, Lightweight, Cosmetic
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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AF 127 FM BTE vs Microlink Size and Style
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Small, Lightweight, Cosmetic
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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Competitive Analysis
Proposed Microlink Advantages
Fits many different analog and digital hearing
aids
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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Competitive Analysis
Fits Many different Hearing Aids

• Argosy
• Audifon
• Danavox
• Hansaton
• Interton
• Oticon

• Phonak
• ReSound
• Siemens (others)
• Sonic innovations
• Unitron
• Widex

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
20
Competitive Analysis
Fits Many different Hearing Aids

• Phonak
• ReSound
• Siemens
• Sonic innovations
• Unitron
• Widex

• Argosy
• Audifon
• Danavox
• Hansaton
• Interton
• Oticon

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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Compatible With Many Different Aids
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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SRT R - 65 L - 70 Discrimination R
- 48 L - 52

• 1. Discrimination difficulty in All situations.
• 2. Does not watch TV Cannot Hear it.
• 3. Cannot hear wife at distances.
• Cannot hear in the car on trips.
• Currently using Omni-Directional digital hearing
  aids.

Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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SRT R - 65 L - CNT Discrimination R
- 36 L - 0
1. Discrimination difficulty in All
situations. 2. Does not watch TV Cannot Hear
it. 3. Currently using Omni-Directional Senso ITE
in R ear. 4. With Alzheimers Disease
Adult FM Use/Purchase
Cases
Competitive Analysis
Why FM?
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• Audioflex 127 BTE FM
• - when an ordinary hearing instrument is not
  enough...