Cochlear Implants
by Sara Ashburn-Reed

Introducing the Cochlear Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor

July 26, 2017
Share

Cochlear introduces the world’s first Made for iPhone cochlear implant sound processor

The Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor is the world’s first Made for iPhone cochlear implant sound processor to allow users to stream sound from iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch® directly to their sound processor, offering greater accessibility, connectivity and wireless solutions


Centennial, Colo. (July 26, 2017) – Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH), the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, introduces today its latest innovation, the CochlearTM Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June, the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is the world’s first Made for iPhone cochlear implant sound processor and the smallest and lightest behind-the-ear cochlear implant sound processor available on the market.1-3

With the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor, people with a Cochlear Nucleus Implant can now stream sound directly from a compatible iPhone, iPad and iPod touch directly to their sound processor.4,5* They will also be able to control, monitor and customize their hearing on their iPhone or iPod touch through the Nucleus® Smart App available from the Apple® App Store®.

There are 360 million people living with disabling hearing loss worldwide, and this figure is set to more than triple to 1.2 billion by 2050.6,7 According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 72 million people who could potentially benefit from the use of a hearing device including a cochlear implant or hearing aid.8

Chris Smith, Cochlear Chief Executive Officer and President, welcomes the FDA approval of the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor, explaining that Cochlear is proud to give people with moderate to profound hearing loss access to mobile technology like never before.

“The approval of the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is a turning point for people with hearing loss, opening the door for them to make phone calls, listen to music in high-quality stereo sound, watch videos and have FaceTime® calls streamed directly to their cochlear implant,” explains Smith. “This new sound processor builds on our long-standing commitment to help more people with hearing loss connect with others and live a full life.”

The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor offers a range of first-of-its-kind features with the Nucleus Smart App. The new Hearing Tracker feature records coil-offs time (each time the sound processor coil does not detect the implant coil, such as if it has fallen off a child’s head) and time in speech (which optimizes the sound processor for different types of noise environments).5 The Nucleus Smart App Find My Processor feature helps locate a lost sound processor by using Location Services to determine the last place the sound processor was connected to the paired iPhone or iPod touch, whether it has been lost on the playground, in the house or in the car.

“Technology that offers greater connectivity seeks to make life easier for people with hearing loss,” said Laurel Mahoney, cochlear implant audiologist and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at NYU Langone Health. “The advancements provided by the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor give parents more control and allow them to better monitor their child’s hearing while adults and teenagers will be able to stream music and make FaceTime calls just like their hearing friends and family.”

With the commercial availability of the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor, Cochlear is also offering the world’s only Smart Bimodal Solution that’s Made for iPhone (the combination of a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aid in the other), enabling both hearing solutions to provide synchronized streaming to both ears from a compatible iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.4 The Nucleus 7 Bimodal Solution is delivered by using a Nucleus 7 Sound Processor, a compatible ReSoundTM hearing aid and a paired iPhone or iPod touch to control functionality for both hearing devices.4

“The ability to control both hearing solutions through an iPhone or iPod touch and provide a seamless hearing experience between them is a remarkable technological step forward,” said Jan Janssen, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Cochlear. “At Cochlear, we design devices to give recipients greater flexibility to personalize their settings and manage their hearing loss on a daily basis, and these new solutions offer that experience like never before.”

The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is 25 percent smaller and 24 percent lighter than the previous generation Nucleus 6 Sound Processor.3 It also features Cochlear’s industry-leading SmartSound® iQ with SCAN** and dual microphone technology, helping people to hear more clearly in any environment.9 From a busy restaurant to outdoors in blustering wind, the technology prioritizes voices over background sounds in a noisy environment. A new processing chip also delivers more efficient processing without compromising battery life, meaning users may enjoy up to 50 percent longer battery life than the previous generation behind-the-ear sound processor.10

Commercial availability for the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is expected in September 2017 in the United States and Canada for those who are looking to receive a cochlear implant. The Nucleus 7 Bimodal Solution is expected in September 2017 only in the United States for those who are looking to receive a cochlear implant. In the United States and Canada, the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor will be available as an upgrade in October 2017 for current recipients with the following internal cochlear implants: Nucleus CI24RE, CI500 and Profile Series Implants.

Today more than 450,000 people around the world can hear thanks to Cochlear’s technology.11 The company’s cochlear implants are the most reliable in the industry, which is one of many reasons why more people choose a Cochlear hearing solution than any other brand.12

For more information about the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor, click here.

About the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor

The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor works by detecting sounds which are then turned into electrical signals by the receiver-stimulator and sent to the brain by the electrode placed in the inner ear (cochlea).

A study of cochlear implant recipients participating in a trial of the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor found:

  • 100 percent of users reported they were satisfied or very satisfied with the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor and its components13
  • 94 percent reported the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor as comfortable or very comfortable to wear13
  • 87 percent reported they found it easier to control/monitor the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor with the Nucleus Smart App than with a remote control13
  • 85 percent reported listening to music to be enjoyable or very enjoyable with the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor13

The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor will include the Cochlear True Wireless™ technology, providing access to the range of wireless accessories currently available. Customers can also swim with their Nucleus 7 Sound Processor using the waterproof Nucleus Aqua+ accessory.***

www.cochlear.com/us

References

  1. S. Food and Drug Administration. P970051-S151 and P130016-S022 and P000015-S016_Supplement Approval Order – APPR2017. 13 June; Data on file.
  2. Apple Inc. ‘Compatible hearing devices’ [Internet]. Apple support. 2017 [cited April 2017]. Available from: https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201466#compatible
  3. Cochlear Limited. D1190805. CP1000 Processor Size Comparison. 2017, Mar; Data on file.
  4. Cochlear Limited. 592753. Nucleus 7 Sound Processor User Guide 2017. Data on file.
  5. Cochlear Limited. D719021. Nucleus Smart App User Guide 2017. Data on file.
  6. World Health Organization. Deafness and Hearing Loss Factsheet [Internet]. Updated February 2017 [cited June 2017]. Available from: https://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/ .
  7. Lin FR and Kramer SE. Hearing Well to train your brain. The Amplifon Centre for Research & Studies (CRS), Milan, Italy Available from: https://www.crsamplifon.com/documents/76453/79343/Consensus+Paper+2013+HEARING+WELL+TO+TRAIN+YOUR+BRAIN.pdf/5ad3e484-7e23-4d29-a0d8-961b1ace4f9b
  8. World Health Organization. 10 Facts on Deafness [Internet]. Updated April 2017 [cited June 2017]. Available from: https://www.who.int/features/factfiles/deafness/en/
  9. Mauger SJ, Warren C, Knight M, Goorevich M, Nel E. Clinical evaluation of the Nucleus 6 cochlear implant system: performance improvements with SmartSound iQ. International Journey of Audiology. 2014, Aug; 53(8): 564-576. [Sponsored by Cochlear].
  10. Cochlear Limited. D1140877. Battery Life and Power Consumption Comparison between CP1000, CP900 Series and CP810 Sound Processors. 2017, Mar; Data on file.
  11. Cochlear Limited 2016. Cochlear 2016 Annual Report Innovation for Life. Available at: https://www.cochlear.com/wps/wcm/connect/intl/about/investor/annual-reports
  12. Cochlear Limited. Cochlear Nucleus Implant Reliability Report, Volume 15, January 2017. 2017, Mar. [Latest generation of cochlear implants commercially available as at 30 January 2017.] Available at: https://www.cochlear.com/wps/wcm/connect/intl/home/discover/cochlear-implants/nucleus-6/nucleus-implant-portfolio/reliability-report
  13. Cochlear Limited. D1182081. CLTD 5620 Clinical Evaluation of Nucleus 7 Cochlear Implant System. 2017, Mar; Data on file.

* The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is compatible with iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone SE, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPad Pro (12.9-inch), iPad Pro (9.7-inch), iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2, iPad mini, iPad (4th generation) and iPod touch (6th generation) using iOS 10.0 or later. The Nucleus Smart App is compatible with iPhone 5 (or later) and iPod 6th generation devices (or later) running iOS 10.0 or later.

** SNR-WR, WNR and SCAN are approved for use with any recipient ages 6 years and older, who is able to: 1) complete objective speech perception testing in quiet and in noise in order to determine and document performance: and 2) report a preference for different program settings.

*** The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor with Aqua+ is water resistant to level IP68 of the International Standard IEC60529. This water protection rating means that the sound processor with the Aqua+ can be continuously submerged under water to a depth of 3 meters (9 feet and 9 inches) for up to 2 hours. This water protection only applies when you use a Cochlear Standard Rechargeable Battery Module or Cochlear Compact Rechargeable Battery Module. 

©2017. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and FaceTime are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

ReSound is a trademark of GN Hearing A/S.

©Cochlear Limited 2017. All rights reserved. Cochlear, Hear now. And always, Nucleus and the elliptical logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Cochlear Limited.

Author

Sara Ashburn-Reed

Sara Ashburn-Reed is the Senior Manager of Marketing and Clinical Strategy for Cochlear Americas where she is responsible for the region's professional clinical information and insights. Sara enjoys engaging with Cochlear's professional partners and broadly communicating key research, industry trends and emerging data. Do you have topics you would like to learn more about? Would you like to guest-author a ProNews Blog? Would you like to be interviewed about your research? Reach out to Sara at: sashburn-reed@cochlear.com

View all posts

Related Posts
GN ReSound

Recent Innovation powering the Smart Hearing Alliance

September 7, 2020

By Natasha McDougald, Product Manager: Sound Processors, Bimodal and Connectivity

The Smart Hearing Alliance

Ears work as a team and there are advantages to hearing well with both ears. For some people with a cochlear implant, having a ReSound hearing aid on the other ear provides the best possible hearing through a bimodal solution. Bimodal hearing in general may improve speech recognition in noise, including locating where sounds are coming from, while also providing superior sound quality compared with using a cochlear implant alone.1-4

The Smart Hearing Alliance, a unique collaboration between Cochlear and ReSound, makes it easy to provide a bimodal solution for your patients.  The partnership provides connectivity solutions that work with both the ReSound hearing aid and the cochlear implant. ReSound and Cochlear share wireless technology, so your clients can stream directly to their cochlear implant and hearing aid simultaneously from compatible iOS or Android™ devices, or from a range of wireless accessories with no need for intermediary devices. With more sound to both ears and superior sound quality compared to using a cochlear implant alone4, recipients can take phone calls, enjoy music, TV or ZOOM chat with a friend in a busy chattering home environment.

The Cochlear™ Nucleus® Kanso® 2 Sound Processor

Cochlear has expanded its sound processor portfolio through a series of approvals such as the Kanso 2 Sound Processor, allowing clinicians to fit either an off-the-ear or traditional-behind-the-ear sound processor without compromising performance-enhancing algorithms or direct connectivity to smartphones.  The innovative Kanso 2 Sound Processor introduces a built-in rechargeable battery designed for all-day hearing~, paired with the highest dust and water resistance for a cochlear implant sound processor for added peace of mind for your patients.+

The ReSound ONE™ hearing aid

On August 18, 2020, GN Hearing globally unveiled ReSound ONE™ hearing aid, a new hearing aid* that solves one of the most enduring challenges for people with hearing loss. For the first time, this unique solution places an additional microphone inside the ear canal, allowing people relying on hearing aids to experience the world with their own ears while preserving the comfort of an RIE device.* Now every patient may enjoy the benefit of superior sound quality and hear conversations better in noisy environments. At launch, ReSound ONE will be bimodally compatible with the True Wireless™ accessories. Linking capabilities for direct bimodal streaming from compatible Apple and Android devices, are expected to be available with a service release of Custom Sound Pro later this year.

Complementary innovation to improve the patient experience

Cochlear and ReSound have been collaborating on technology development, product solutions, design and engineering capabilities since 2011, and these new hearing devices benefit from this complementary approach.

Bimodal built-in rechargeability:  For the first time, bimodal patients can experience the convenience and simplicity of a cochlear implant sound processor and hearing aid with integrated rechargeable batteries.

User-activated algorithms for challenging environments:   Patients wearing the Kanso 2 Sound Processor and ReSound ONE hearing aid will have the control to focus on sounds in front of them, using two pre-processing strategies: ForwardFocus^ from Cochlear and a clinician-programmed narrow beam vis Adaptive Directionality from GN Hearing.  These enhanced operating modes are designed to improve speech recognition, giving patients the control to increase hearing focus. 

Automatic setting adjustment:  Noise Tracker II, Environmental Optimizer II and Soft Switching from GN Hearing uniquely complements Cochlear’s Smart Sound IQ with SCAN#, allowing the hearing devices to automatically adjust settings and microphone directionality to improve the listening experience.

Quality care from anywhere: The impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic has irrevocably changed the healthcare landscape and has necessitated a change in how hearing healthcare services are provisioned.  The Smart Hearing Alliance has addressed these challenges through the development of hearing devices that include built-in connectivity for remote care delivery.

For example, GN Hearing pioneered the remote hearing care vision, by introducing ReSound Assist in 2017.  ReSound Assist allows varying levels of care, including Live Assistance for face-to-face video appointments, incorporating real-time feedback from patients, or Remote Fine-Tuning for sending adjustments anytime.  Cochlear has the only FDA approval for remote programming. It also received expedited approval in April 2020 for Remote Check, a convenient, at-home testing tool that allows patients to complete a hearing review with a Kanso 2 or Nucleus 7 Sound Processor using an  iPhone® or iPod touch® without having to travel to the clinic.**

Clinicians fitting Smart Hearing Alliance solutions are positioned to deliver an enhanced bimodal experience with proven hearing satisfaction, facilitating care today and in the future. 5

To learn more visit ReSound or watch this webinar on Cochlear’s latest innovations.

About the author: Graduating in Management Information Systems, Natasha McDougald began her career as a system analyst working with tech companies in the Silicon Valley.  Personal circumstances became a catalyst for career change; transitioning from desktop-based computers to tiny embedded biomedical computers known as cochlear implants.  Natasha has worked at Cochlear Americas for over 9 years partnering with clinicians and surgeons at the University of Miami, UCSF, Stanford, UC Davis and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital of Oakland to bring cochlear implants to pediatric and adult patients.  Extremely passionate, Natasha is professionally and personally invested in the implantable hearing industry and strives to forward the cause of those affected by hearing loss.  She has presented numerous talks and courses on hearing loss, multiple disabilities, advocating skills and cochlear implantation to audiences in the medical-technology, educational, special needs and family support sectors.

+ The Kanso 2 Sound Processor is dust and water resistant to level of IP68 of the International Standard IEC60529. The Kanso 2 Sound Processor with Aqua+ is dust and water resistant to level of IP68 of the International Standard IEC60529. This water protection rating means that the sound processor with the Aqua+ can be continuously submerged under water to a depth of up to 3 meters (9 feet and 9 inches) for up to 2 hours.  The Aqua+ accessory should be used when participating in prolonged water activities.

* Microphone in ear and two standard directional microphones, directionality features, wireless audio streaming.

^ForwardFocus can only be enabled by a hearing implant specialist. It should only be activated for users 12 years and older who are able to reliably provide feedback on sound quality and understand how to use the feature when moving to different or changing environments. It may be possible to have decreased speech understanding when using ForwardFocus in a quiet environment.

#It is recommended that SNR-NR, WNR and SCAN be made available to any recipient, ages 6 and older, who is able to 1) complete objective speech perception testing in quiet and noise in order to demonstrate and document performance and 2) report a preference for different program settings.

**The Remote Check feature of the Nucleus Smart App is available on iPhone and iPod touch. For compatibility information visit www.cochlear.com/compatibility.

~All day hearing is defined as 16 hours, expected battery life is up to 18 hours. Battery life may vary by individual.

For compatibility information and devices visit www.Cochlear.com/compatibility and resound.com/compatibility

For a list of compatible ReSound hearing aids visit www.Cochlear.com/nucleus/compatibility

References

1. Ching TY, Incerti P, Hill M. Binaural benefits for adults who use hearing aids and cochlear implants in opposite ears. Ear Hear (2004 Feb); 25, 9–21.

2. Morera C, Cavalle L, Manrique M, et al. Contralateral hearing aid use in cochlear implanted patients: Multicenter study of bimodal benefit. Acta Otolaryngol (2012 Jun); 132, 1084–1094.

3. Potts LG, Skinner MW, Litovsky RA., et al. Recognition and localization of speech by adult cochlear implant recipients wearing a digital hearing aid in the nonimplanted ear (bimodal hearing). J Am Acad Audiol (2009 Jun); 20, 353–373.

4. Farinetti A, Roman S, Mancini J, et al. Quality of life in bimodal hearing users (unilateral cochlear implants and contralateral hearing aids). Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol (2015 Nov); 272, 3209–3215

5.  Clinical Evaluation of the Cochlear Nucleus CI532 Cochlear Implants in Adults Investigator Meeting. 2019 Apr.

young girl playing with bubbles

Parents act fast to give their 2-year-old with bacterial meningitis his hearing back

September 19, 2018

By guest author: Renee Oehlerking 

Cochlear PR Renee Oehlerking

Alexis W., mom to Martin, looks back on her son’s scary bout of bacterial meningitis, which took his hearing. Having never dealt with hearing loss and not knowing about cochlear implants, Martin’s parents had to act fast to ensure he’d have access to sound again:

“Martin’s journey began on December 20, 2016 at 2 years of age when he became gravely ill and later was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis.

During this debilitating infection, Martin suffered four infarcts in his brain, fluid around his heart and profound bilateral hearing loss. It took a long time as his parents to process this suffering our son was enduring.

The hearing loss came as quite a shock to us, before this infection Martin had already developed language and was above his speech level for his age. When we learned about cochlear implants and found out our son was a candidate, we immediately began researching them because we had never heard of them before.

Making the decision to move forward with cochlear implants for Martin had to be quick for us. With meningitis, the cochlea begins to ossify at an extremely rapid rate, making implanting very difficult and not nearly as effective if you wait too long. As parents, we want the best for our son, and we truly believe making the decision to implant him with cochlear implants was the only choice that was right.

Martin was discharged from the hospital after 17 days on January 4, 2017; two days later, we got a call from the surgeon that Tuesday, January 10, would be his implant surgery date. This happened so quickly we didn’t know how to process it, let alone prepare.

However, Martin did amazing with his cochlear implant surgery and recovery after that. He was up and moving around hours after surgery, and later that night began to enjoy his favorite food (which is soup).

The time between his implant surgery and activation of his sound processors seemed like forever. The frustration and anxiety my son had because he couldn’t hear anyone began to show, and it was so difficult to explain anything to him at that point.

Then February 8, activation day, was here. My husband and I chose the Kanso® Sound Processors for Martin because we believed he would do wonderfully with only one piece of equipment.

After the first two mappings, it was very hard to notice a difference in his hearing, but then one day it clicked. He began repeating us, and he literally began talking up a storm. Right then, we knew we had made the right choice.

With his Kansos, our son has amazing wear time, and he puts his processors back on himself if they fall off. In terms of his language development, Martin is now testing in the normal range for speech and language at his age; we think this is due in part to getting him implanted as quickly as possible and due to the ease of which the Kanso Sound Processors stay on Martin’s head. Additionally, Martin is now in a mainstream daycare, and if his batteries have died while he’s there, he will tell his teachers on his own to help change them.

Martin’s cochlear implants changed our recovery as a family from his bacterial meningitis. It has helped to give my son back the courage to communicate again and take away from his anxiety of being around lots of people. He has a warm, open heart and sweet personality where he loves to be around people.

At two and a half years old, Martin has already overcome so many obstacles, and he will continue to excel on his journey. Thanks to his cochlear implants and Kanso Sound Processors, my son manages to continue happily!”

Learn more about the Nucleus® Kanso Sound Processor and how it can help your pediatric patients.

Published originally on Hear & Now.

About our guest author: 

Renee Oehlerking is the Public Relations Manager at Cochlear Americas where she is responsible for the region’s public relations and consumer marketing social media. Renee enjoys uncovering, telling and showcasing the inspiring stories of hearing implant recipients. As a recent transplant to Denver, Colorado, Renee enjoys exploring all that the state has to offer outdoors.

Cochlear logo

Cochlear logo - white

©Cochlear Limited 2024. All rights reserved. ACE, Advance Off-Stylet, AOS, Ardium, AutoNRT, Autosensitivity, Baha, Baha SoftWear, BCDrive, Beam, Bring Back the Beat, Button, Carina, Cochlear, 科利耳, コクレア, 코클리어, Cochlear SoftWear, Contour, コントゥア, Contour Advance, Custom Sound, DermaLock, Freedom, Hear now. And always, Hugfit, Human Design, Hybrid, Invisible Hearing, Kanso, LowPro, MET, MP3000, myCochlear, mySmartSound, NRT, Nucleus, Osia, Outcome Focused Fitting, Off-Stylet, Piezo Power, Profile, Slimline, SmartSound, Softip, SoundArc, True Wireless, the elliptical logo, Vistafix, Whisper, WindShield and Xidium are either trademarks or registered trademarks of the Cochlear group of companies. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

 

This material is intended for health professionals. If you are a consumer, please seek advice from your health professional about treatments for hearing loss. Outcomes may vary, and your health professional will advise you about the factors which could affect your outcome. Always read the instructions for use. Not all products are available in all countries. Please contact your local Cochlear representative for product information.

 

Cochlear ProNews is monitored Monday through Friday, excluding some holidays. Questions and inquiries submitted over the weekends or holidays may see a delay in response. For immediate assistance please contact us directly. You are solely responsible for your interactions with other members of our Websites. Cochlear reserves the right, but has no obligation, to monitor disputes or communications between you and other members of our Websites. For a full list of Cochlear’s terms of use, click here.