Minneapolis — Starkey Laboratories has released a new RIC with a 13 battery and other new features for its Wi Series,™ The new enhancements include Voice iQ2, an update to Starkey’s noise reduction and speech preservation system, and Spectral iQ, a frequency audibility technology.

With the new battery size, the Wi RIC 13 reportedly delivers the battery life of a standard 13 product in a case smaller than Starkey’s RIC 312. Features also include a configurable user control for either volume or memory.

Additionally, the RIC 13 includes a telecoil and locking battery door, is DAI capable, and features HydraShield®2, adding advanced oleophobic properties to the HydraShield nanocoating to better protect the RIC 13 hearing aids from earwax and other oily substances.

The new Wi Series enhanced features include:

  • Voice iQ2, Starkey’s noise reduction and speech preservation system, now with nearly double the noise reduction capability, is designed to help patients focus on the sounds they want to hear by reducing the sounds they don’t.
  • Spectral iQ, a solution for patients who have steeply sloping, high-frequency hearing loss. It is designed to enhance real-time audibility by intelligently identifying high-frequency speech cues, then replicating them in lower frequencies.
  • Updated signal processing architecture to improve overall sound quality and efficiency, including new vent modeling, automatic vent detection, improved compression, and updated eSTAT targets.
  • Activated via SurfLink™ Remote, iQ Boost allows patients to enable aggressive noise reduction while optimizing sound quality in extremely noisy situations.
  • Self Learning, a feature that gradually and automatically learns patient volume control preference in each active memory, potentially easing patient transition to new technology.
  • Swap Fit, a fitting function that allows hearing care professionals to transfer patient settings from their current Starkey product to a new one.

The new Wi Series devices will also connect with the SurfLink accessories, such as SurfLink Programmer, a wireless programming tool, and SurfLink Media, a media streaming solution that is designed to be a simple, user-friendly, interface between Wi Series hearing aids and modern media devices.

Visit www.starkeypro.com for more details on the RIC and Wi Series enhancements.

SOURCE: Starkey Laboratories