Starkey in the News  |  April 2009

Starkey Introduces the Next Generation of Hearing Aids: S Series with Drive Architecture

MINNEAPOLIS, April 2, 2009 - Starkey Laboratories, Inc., one of the world's leading hearing technology companies, is proud to introduce S Series™ with Drive Architecture™, the extraordinary new family of hearing aids that combines art and science to create unparalleled levels of performance, comfort and personalization. S Series, developed using Starkey's evidence-based design approach, is available in custom and a first-ever full line of receiver-in-canal (RIC) options.

 At the heart of every S Series hearing instrument is Starkey's newest, state-of-the-art integrated circuit platform, Drive Architecture, designed to deliver maximum performance, power and patient satisfaction. Powered by multi-core technology, Drive Architecture utilizes independent and fully programmable open architecture processors to efficiently carry out tasks in parallel by using simultaneous multi-threading technology. Drive Architecture triples the processing power of previous platforms, allowing for super efficient, high-speed multitasking of signal processing algorithms for better performance while significantly improving battery life over Starkey's previous technology platform.

 "S Series by Starkey is the biggest leap forward in hearing aid technology in years," said Jerry Ruzicka, President of Starkey. "Our successful meld of art and science creates broader appeal among a new generation of hearing professionals who place equal emphasis on technology and design for their patients. No need to sacrifice when you can have it all."

Features

The S Series boasts Starkey's newest features based on proven best-in-class innovations including:

• PureWave Feedback Eliminator, delivering broader bandwidth, faster processing and intelligent artifact elimination to ensure patients get the best possible performance in every listening environment. S Series models offer up to 25dB of added stable gain for the highest broadband gain margin in the industry.
• Acoustic Scene Analyzer (ASA) is Starkey's newest integrated system for managing noise and preserving speech recognition that instantly classifies incoming signals based on unique acoustic characteristics. ASA seamlessly selects and implements the most appropriate algorithms individually or collectively, providing the best possible acoustic response at every moment in time. This results in the highest level of patient comfort and clarity in noise, while emphasizing speech preservation.
• InVision Directionality is designed to perform best in highly complex backgrounds of noise. The industry-leading system boasts the highest DI scores and lowest operational noise floor, helping patients significantly increase their speech understanding in noise.
• AudioScape is Starkey's new acoustic pattern recognition system that uses patented real-time environment detection and classification to adapt to any listening environment by seamlessly adjusting to a patient's preferred settings. A channel-specific signal-to-noise ratio calculation ensures that speech is always given the priority.
• Automatic Telephone Solutions (ATS) automatically detects telephone usage and adjusts to the optimal acoustic frequency response for telephone listening.
• T² (touch-tone) allows your patients to control their hearing aids using any cell or touch-tone phone, avoiding the need to carry additional hardware. T² discreetly and instantly classifies the touch-tone signal and automatically adjusts.

Styles

As the recognized expert in custom devices, Starkey has integrated breakthrough features directly into hearing aids and fitting software so custom products are guaranteed to fit the first time. The company's master craftsmanship in custom fittings and open vent options combined with industry-leading feedback cancellation results in custom devices that deliver superior comfort and performance.

S Series is the first full RIC product line to offer a beautiful, comfortable option for all levels of hearing loss — from mild to severe. The power and performance of Drive Architecture allows more patients to be fit than ever before with a RIC hearing solution that offers unparalleled feedback cancellation, directionality, environmental adaptation and comfort. When fit open, S Series has the widest fitting range and usable high-frequency bandwidth of any open fit instrument in its class. The line also includes the new S Series AP (Absolute Power), a patient-proven RIC that offers between 60 and 71dB of peak gain, making it the best performing and most powerful RIC on the market. Even patients with severe hearing loss can enjoy the discreet style, design and comfort of a RIC without sacrificing power and performance.

About Starkey

Starkey Laboratories, Inc. is a privately held, global hearing technology company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minn. The company is recognized for its innovative design, development and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Founded in 1967, Starkey employs over 3,500 people, operates 22 facilities and conducts business in over 100 markets worldwide. For more information, visit www.starkeypro.com.