Phonak Introduces Infinio AI Powered Hearing Aids

Phonak Launches Their First Hearing Aids Powered by Artificial Intelligence

Meet The New Phonak Infinio Hearing Aid Range, 10 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) benefit.

Phonak is joining the world of AI with the launch of its new platform, Infinio. However, in a typical Phonak being different from everyone else’s move, only one device in the new platform has something that could be termed AI onboard. I would imagine this is a sales strategy based on AI being the best solution and probably more expensive; I could be wrong.

They say that Infinio is a significant leap forward in hearing aid technology designed to provide unparalleled speech understanding in all listening environments with exceptional sound quality, enhanced connectivity, and new avenues for personalised user experiences. They also say that their AI will deliver a 10 dB SNR boost, something that is unheard of. Anyway, enough of the fluff, what’s the substance?

The Infinio platform consists of two Receiver In Canal devices, a CRoS (Contralateral Routing of Signal) device and three custom hearing aids. For the first time, Phonak has introduced a rechargeable custom hearing aid on a platform. Better late than never. Those devices are the rechargeable Audéo Sphere RIC (AI onboard), Audéo Infinio R, CROS Infinio, a full range of Virto rechargeable in-the-ear (ITE) devices, and battery-powered non-wireless completely-in-canal (CIC) and titanium invisible-in-canal (IIC) aids. The new Audeo Sphere device, with its reported AI-driven 10 dB SNR capabilities—up to 3.7 dB better than competitor devices is probably the stand-out story.

As with the launch of Lumity, the Infinio line does not include battery-powered RICs or Naída power hearing aids, although these may be added in the future. Before we look at the all-singing, all-dancing AI feature, let’s examine the basis of the new platform. The Infinio range is powered by two new chipsets, one called ERA and the other DEEPSONIC. Every device in the Infinio range has the ERA chip on board, but only the Audeo Sphere Infinio has the additional DEEPSONIC chip. The ERA is their brand-new management chip that oversees most functions, such as hearing in speech and noise, Bluetooth connectivity, noise reduction, and feedback control. Because it is ubiquitous across the range, we should look at it first. The ERA chip Phonak says the new ERA chipset supports the products’ performance’s four key pillars: sound quality, connectivity, reliability, and personalization, which I will look at later in the article. 

The second chip, DEEPSONIC, is a unique feature of the Audéo Sphere device. This chip is responsible for real-time AI processing, instantly separating speech from background noise. The Era chip manages all functions, and the DEEPSONIC chip adds an extra layer of speech-background noise separation. Phonak claims that this combination results in the Sphere Infinio having an outstanding 10 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) benefit. This should significantly enhance speech understanding in complex sound situations. What’s particularly interesting about this claim is that the level of SNR benefit is typically unachievable in real-world hearing aids without using an accessory like a remote microphone.

They say that DEEPSONIC offers:

• Spheric Speech Clarity: Clear speech from any direction instantly.
• Speech from Noise Separation: Advanced AI separates speech from unwanted noise.
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) Improvement: Achieves an unparalleled SNR improvement of 10dB for better speech understanding in noisy environments, superior to competitor devices by up to 3.7dB.
• Users are two to three times more likely to understand speech from any direction compared to the two leading competitors.

Real-Time AI sound processing with DEEPSONIC chip

Phonak says that their proprietary DEEPSONIC chip is the first of its kind, providing real-time AI processing to instantly separate speech from background noise. Unlike existing technologies, DEEPSONIC offers dynamic, real-time adjustments, allowing users to engage in conversations from any direction. The chip’s AI architecture includes: Deep Neural Network (DNN): 4.5 million neural connections trained with over 22 million sound samples. Unprecedented Processing Power: with 21 times more memory and 4 times more power efficiency, this chip is 53 times more powerful than existing chips and is capable of performing 7,700 million operations per second.

Let’s take a look at the four pillars that they speak about for the ERA chip:

Exceptional sound quality

Phonak says that with APD 3.0, they have created a brand-new audiological fitting model designed to give better sound quality from the first fitting moment. They say that they are using new leveraging all kinds of new technology, which includes Harman Curves, a tool typically found in headphones and loudspeakers for finding the ideal frequency response for the most natural and pleasing sound experience, helping consumers “love the sound from the first fit,” says Griffiths. “And this tool has been trained by hearing providers. It uses thousands of real-world fittings.” Infinio also includes Phonak’s new AutoSense OS 6.0 with SmartSpeech technology that reportedly improves speech understanding by 16% and reduces listening effort by 45%.

Enhanced connectivity

Phonak says that Infinio features universal connectivity and instant compatibility with all Bluetooth devices. It is also faster and easier to connect with smartphones. The ERA chip was designed to be ultra-responsive, meaning people can shift between streaming and acoustic input without missing conversations. It also provides six times the transmission power, translating to up to 2 times the distance for transmitting audio from a smartphone to the aids compared to two other competitors. Ultimately, this should give users more stable connectivity and consistent audio quality—even if you’re moving around while streaming from a phone or other Bluetooth device. While Infinio RICs don’t offer a telecoil, the ERA chip is Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) Audio-enabled and Auracast-ready.

Reliability

Phonak’s commitment to reliability and performance is evident in the rigorous testing of the Infinio platform. With over 135 individual tests, including mechanical robustness and resistance to water and dirt, Infinio has earned an Ingress Protection (IP) rating of IP68, the highest level for hearing aids. This extensive testing, coupled with positive feedback from users, instils confidence in the platform’s reliability and durability. The Infinio RIC devices, designed along the same lines as the trusted Phonak Life products, offer enhanced reliability and quick receiver exchange while providing a commendable 16 hours of battery life.

Personalisation

The Infinio platform is not just about cutting-edge technology, but also about personalized user experiences. The new fitting software for hearing care providers includes an AI Dome Proposer that analyzes the patient’s acoustic parameters and recommends the best-performing dome for Audéo Infinio RIC hearing aids. Virto ITE devices are biometrically calibrated, using over 1,600 data points from the ear scan to provide a comfortable and acoustically precise fitting. The platform also features a new charger that ensures optimal recharging and an acoustically optimized vent that adapts to the user’s listening situation. This user-centric design is a testament to Phonak’s understanding of the diverse needs of its users.

93% Preference, 45% Less Fatigue

Phonak’s internal studies indicate that 93% of users prefer the first-fit of Infinio over two leading competitors. The new hearing aids also provided a 45% reduction in listening effort in quiet listening situations for adults with moderate to severe hearing loss, and 21% less fatigue when the Speech Enhancer was on versus off for people with moderate to severe hearing loss. With the added benefits of Phonak’s new Roger ON remote mic, Infinio is said to improve speech understanding by 61%.

There is a lot to unpack and digest here, but I will do just that and discuss it with you over a couple of articles. Whilst the Infinio range is available in the US at the moment, we don’t have a launch date for the UK just yet. The talk is that we will have the Audeo devices by the end of August and the Virto devices sometime in September.