Artificial Intelligence AMA with Senior Phonak Experts

@wtolkien said:

Another AI training data question: how do you obtain this data? Is it people going out into the real world with microphones or is it created in a lab environment?

No, we are using audio data that have been recorded for other purposes as well in the audio and music industry, add our own sound databases and than mix.

But can process size of SWORD vs. ERA chips can be compared?

thank you for your interest in a BTE CROS. I do not have a date to share with you, but I will definitely pass along your strong desire for this product. In the meantime, you may want to investigate whether the infinio with a UP receiver meets your needs. I know several individuals with a profound hearing loss who use it successfully.

Do you intend to provide AI model improvements via firmware upgrades over time? How long do you typically support a given platform with firmware upgrades?

@hearingaidobserver1 said:

2. Why do some people seem to not get benefits from the speech in loud noise function while others do (Even if using closed domes).

There are many factors at play, such as an individuals hearing capabilities. However, I know the AI processes are only active in certain environments to preserve battery life. I will let our Sonova experts follow-up further.

You are describing my dad’s hearing loss perfectly and he is an extremely successful Sphere user!

Not directly about AI, but when will Auracast be available for the Spheres and will the Phonak app include an Auracast assistant similar to ReSound/Jabra?

Will it support Auracast broadcasts with 48kbit/s bit rate? Many currently available Auracast transmitter only support 48kbit/s

There’s been a lot of conversation, on these pages recently, about music. It seems apparent that more bands in the App’s Graphic Equaliser may help provide a better balance when playing or listening to music. May this be a possibility?

@Stefanlauner said:

For people with a severe to profound hearing loss we had first good results when using more powerful receivers, UP receivers. As has also been shown in a pilot study from Mayo clinic

Does this means no new Naida in the pipeline?

Thx

@hearingaidobserver1 said:

Does AI in hearing aids mean that the pace at which Phonak can improve performance (power consumption, speech in noise performance, etc) actually increases? Meaning that hearing aids will improve more in the next 5 years than they did in the last 5 years?

Well, we made huge progress in performance with introducing the AI chip especially in terms of speech intel in complex listening scenes as all our studies have shown. and I expect more significant benefit come as learn learn to apply this new technology more broadly in signal processing of hearing aids.

@hearingaidobserver1 said:

Why do some people seem to not get benefits from the speech in loud noise function while others do (Even if using closed domes). Is the shortcoming on audiologists not knowing how to use it?

there are many variables to optimizing hearing performance including coupling style, as you mentioned. this concern should be brought to the attention of your audiologist. It is possible to strengthen the feature as needed.

Thanks for your input. I will share this wish with our team.

@PeterH said:

There’s been a lot of conversation, on these pages recently, about music. It seems apparent that more bands in the App’s Graphic Equaliser may help provide a better balance when playing or listening to music. May this be a possibility?

Well, this is a tricky one, for some users more bands are a potential option but for most of today’s users the current version of the APP is sufficient and already complex enough. So when testing more complex interfaces we usually realize that most people don’t benefit so much from it

I guess my question really is - how important is the audiologist in getting the most out of the spheric speech in noise function ? we’ve had quite a few people on here saying they get no benefit and I am wondering if that’s all because their hearing loss means they wont get a benefit or if it is something that is fixable in some cases (e.g. if audiologist were trained on whatever makes that function sucessful)