Reinventing hearing aids for a new generation of wearers, attracted by the cool look and feel, will potentially help convince more people with hearing loss to benefit from using hearing aids. That is the goal for the Denmark-based company with the new Signia Active Pro earbuds. Signia also says its latest paradigm-shifting rechargeable hearing aids will offer top-level prescription audio with the advantages of an easy-to-fit consumer audio device.
"We know it can be difficult for people to overcome their resistance to hearing aids because they don’t like the look of the products on offer. With a design and ease-of-use that appeals to many people, the hearables look is a convincing argument to get hearing aids," admits Samy Lauriette Global Head of Brand, Signia at Signia.
Signia also tried to combine existing technology and the progress achieved in the consumer electronics industry to expand the possibilities of its new product in comparison with the growing number of Personal Sound Amplification Product and wanna-be-hearables that are invading the market. That is why the company states that, "Signia Active Pro earbuds are massively superior to a simple mail-order hearable or amplifier. Hearing aids such as Signia Active Pro perform a complex purpose, specifically tailored to each individual wearer, whereas basic hearables boost all sound. That can mean the difference between treating mild hearing loss effectively and developing more serious hearing loss."
"We all like to upgrade our accessories to improve our performance, for example by choosing a better pair of trainers for running. If we can do this for our feet and legs, we should certainly be able to do the same for our hearing. With the earbud design of Signia Active Pro, you can live your life, feeling as youthful as ever, while ensuring a healthy hearing experience," adds Samy Lauriette.
Expanding the concept further, Signia highlights the fact that the Signia Active Pro can be put in and taken out of the ears as easily as any earbud, feature a modern-looking design, are easy and fast to fit, while still remaining hearing aids. A new category "for everyone who doesn’t want to look old but wants to enjoy hearing everything that’s important to them."
And to validate that statement, Signia relies on its own customer research showing that "there is a strong desire for a solution like the game-changing Signia Active Pro. Two out of three people would prefer to wear earbuds to hear better instead of the most stylish high-tech hearing aids previously available."
And the new product also combines recent hearing enhancement features that are increasingly popular among consumers. Apart from being actual hearing aids that deliver ideally-tailored sound for the wearer’s personal hearing needs, the new Signia Active Pro earbuds offer Signia Xperience YourSound technology to optimize the experience while walking in a crowded street, working in an open-plan office, or dining in a busy restaurant, adjusting intelligibility to the level and type of ambient noise. And the devices also offer the latest Bluetooth connectivity to support listening to music and phone calls on the go.
Another factor in common with consumer TWS designs is the use or lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, combined with the now fully embraced flexibility of carrying the pocket-sized Signia Active Charger to recharge either of the units when needed.
The Signia Active Pro and the budget starter version Signia Active are effectively designed to provide an actual audiological alternative for anyone tempted by basic over-the-counter devices that don’t do enough to improve their hearing. "The familiar look and feel means other people won’t even recognize them as hearing aids – you see similar-looking buds in almost every ear. They come in the iconic color combinations of white and rose gold, black and silver, or black," Signia adds.
And because they are Bluetooth earbuds, the new Signia Active Pro and Signia Active designs work together with the Signia Assistant app for iOS and Android. The app features an Artificial Intelligence (AI) digital assistant that helps support wearers 24/7, by continually optimizing the support it provides and learning each hearing aid wearers’ preferences. The app also allows storing multiple personal settings, answers questions about the handling of the hearing aids, and recalls every detail discussed during the audiology appointment in the form of intuitive text-based dialogue and how-to-videos. This is an experience that 87% of users of hearing aids recognize positively, according to the company's internal research.
Apart from the digital assistant interactions, the app connects the user to the full remote service of Signia TeleCare, enhancing follow-up appointments with real-world usage insights. "Wearers of the innovative Signia Active Pro hearing aids enjoy a level of support and hearing confidence previously unattainable to those who were unsure whether they wanted to wear hearing aids."
The Signia Active Pro hearing aids will be available in most markets from March 1, 2021.
Signia is a leading hearing aid brand launched in 2016, and part of WS Audiology, the company formed in 2019 through the merger of Sivantos and Widex.
www.signia.net
