Good brand. I’m nearly deaf due to 2 Menires attacks, the steroids they used destroyed the ear hairs. I heal on the low Flat end and still need to crank them up for soft-spoken people, grocery stores noisy places, REMOVE them as the massive sound overwhelms them. Starky, same as Hubs Vet. Carrier Deck aids, only I got the smaller red/blue wifi, stuck to batteries. My phone is Android and won’t support the App.
Just yesterday I purchased top of the line Oticon Intent hearing aids. So far I am beyond pleased. The Meniere's affected only my right ear but it turns out I had a bit of hearing loss in my left ear, too. It is hard to believe how much I had been missing.
I was concerned about whether or not they would help me in noisy environments or social gatherings. I can say that, so far, they work great. Last night I sat around a table with about 5 or 6 other men and was able to understand everybody and participate in the conversation even when there was cross talk. Thursday I'm going to a convention and I'll see how it does in that even more challenging environment.
According to Oticon:
Hearing speech amid background noise remains the number one challenge and complaint for people with hearing loss. To address this issue, today Oticon, Inc. launches Oticon Intent, the world's first hearing aid equipped with user-intent sensors that understand and adapt to what individuals want to hear. Oticon Intent gives people with hearing loss improved engagement in difficult listening situations.
New BrainHearing™ insights show that monitoring head and body movements can provide crucial information about a hearing aid user’s communication intent in various listening situations.* Pioneering 4D Sensor technology, Oticon Intent taps into these insights, combining inputs on head motion, body movement, conversation activity and acoustic environment to understand precisely what users need and want to listen to. It then seamlessly adjusts the hearing support it provides. This offers a more intuitive, responsive and personalized hearing experience that mimics the brain’s natural way of processing sound.
Oticon Intent provides access to 360 degrees of sound while prioritizing each individual’s listening need — all in Oticon’s smallest, most discreet rechargeable hearing aid to date. This could mean providing spatial awareness to help wearers navigate environments and find conversation partners. To support intimate one-on-one chats, Oticon Intent focuses on the speaker amidst surrounding noise. Meanwhile in group conversations, the hearing aid responds to the turning of a wearer’s head from side to side to detect and heighten speech access to multiple voices.
“Oticon has always been driven by the understanding that while the ears hear, it’s the brain that makes sense of sounds. With Oticon Intent, we’ve enhanced our BrainHearing approach to give wearers greater access to the sounds and speech that will enable them to actively participate in everyday situations,” said Virginia Ramachandran, AuD, PhD, Head of Audiology at Oticon. “Our new sensor technology allows the device to understand the wearer's listening intentions and adapt in real time, providing unparalleled support and clarity in every conversation. With Oticon Intent, we ensure you can more easily communicate in any situation.”
Powered by advanced features, including a second-generation Deep Neural Network (DNN), Oticon Intent improves sound quality, listening comfort and speech comprehension, and delivers more sound nuances and access to speech.**
Oticon Intent is also user-focused in design and comfort. The hearing aid features up to 20 hours of battery life, as well as faster charging time than ever before. A quick 30-minute charge provides the hearing aids with 8 hours of power, while a 2-hour charge will provide power for a full day’s use.*** The device's sleek design and IP68 dust and moisture resistance rating demonstrate Oticon's durability and style commitment.
Oticon Intent utilizes next-generation Bluetooth® LE Audio that supports modern connectivity standards. This includes those Made for iPhone® devices with iOS 15.2 or later and select Android™ phones with OS 14 and newer updates, tablets and PCs. It is also compatible with select Android phones for one-way direct streaming with the Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) protocol.† Users can now seamlessly connect to a wide range of devices and accessories for hands-free calling, direct streaming of music and audiobooks, and more. Furthermore, it is a future-proof hearing aid, ready for future communication technologies, such as Auracast™.††
Oticon Intent is compatible with the Oticon Companion app, allowing users to manage their hearing experience conveniently from their smartphone or Apple Watch®.
This launch marks a significant milestone for Oticon, as it continues its legacy of pioneering hearing solutions that empower users to engage fully in life.
I bought my hearing aids from an audiologist recommended by my ENT. They were very expensive but after the first few minutes wearing them I was convinced they were worth it.