It’s time for a change
For too long, there’s been a problematic trend in the industry that prioritizes speech using aggressive noise reduction. Most of today’s AI-driven noise reduction systems have only reinforced this issue. But for truly natural, effortless hearing, the brain needs it all.
Modern hearing aid technology must adapt to deliver – and a crucial new scientific insight* reveals precisely why.
A natural balance point
New research has revealed that there’s an ideal combination between speech and contextual sounds** – a unique balance point – where the brain actually works best.
Intriguingly, this point is not fixed. It is constantly changing in real time, from environment to environment, and is different from person to person.
In other words: the brain needs both clear speech and contextual sounds, each preserved in the right proportion.
Closer to natural hearing
When the brain has access to a fuller, richer sound input of both speech and context, it can operate significantly closer to natural hearing. Research shows an up to 40% relative improvement in sound recognition***.
The result is a hearing experience that’s more immersive, more effortless, and more connected to the listener’s environment.
It all starts with the brain
At Oticon, our technology is guided by the principle that we hear with our brain, not just our ears. We call this philosophy BrainHearing.
This unique approach is what inspires us to discover new secrets about the brain, fuelling technology that can successfully challenge industry conventions – and more importantly, deliver life-changing benefits to hearing aid users.
References
* Based on reading. See de Hoz & McAlpine (2024).; Hicks & McDermott (2024).; Johnson & Healy (2024).; McAlpine & de Hoz (2023).
** Johnson & Healy (2024).
*** Hicks & McDermott, 2024. 40% relative improvement in a sound recognition task with better access to contextual sounds