Summary:
A new peer-reviewed study shows that Phonak Infinio Sphere hearing aids with AI-based noise reduction reduce cognitive load and listening effort while improving speech understanding in noisy environments.
Key Takeaways:
- Neuroimaging with fNIRS demonstrated reduced activation in the left prefrontal cortex, indicating lower listening effort when Phonak’s AI noise reduction was enabled.
- Participants experienced clearer speech understanding in background noise alongside objectively measured reductions in cognitive processing demands.
- Findings provide clinical evidence that Phonak’s Spheric Speech Clarity technology supports both hearing performance and overall well-being by reducing listening fatigue in real-world settings.
Phonak, known globally for its hearing solutions, has shared results from newly published research available in Nature Scientific Reports.1 This research used a cutting-edge neuroimaging technique to show that activation of Phonak’s AI-based noise reduction enabled more efficient cognitive processing that was associated with reduced listening effort and clearer speech understanding.
The researchers used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure changes in the brain’s use of oxygen for a group of hearing aid wearers who were listening with and without Phonak’s AI-based noise reduction technology. This comparison is noteworthy, as speech understanding in loud situations is one of the greatest listening challenges faced by wearers of hearing aids.
The study showed that activating settings for listening in background noise allowed for reduced cognitive processing in the brain while—at the same time—supported participants’ understanding of more speech. This was observed in the neuroimaging results showing reduced blood oxygen concentration in the left prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain associated with listening effort. Participants also reported lower levels of subjective listening effort.
Stefan Launer, vice president of audiology and health innovation at Sonova, says, “This study provides important scientific evidence that Phonak’s AI-based noise reduction reduces listening effort and cognitive load when listening to speech in noise, aligning with wearers’ real-world experiences. We’re grateful for the support of collaborators like Dr Frank Russo at Toronto Metropolitan University, who make work like this possible.”
Oliver Frank, vice president of Phonak marketing, adds, “This study confirms what we have already learned from extensive feedback from hearing aid wearers and hearing care professionals alike – that Phonak Infinio Sphere delivers clearer speech in dynamic group conversations and noticeably reduces listening fatigue throughout the day. By validating real-world experiences with compelling clinical evidence, the findings reinforce Phonak Infinio Sphere’s unique role in helping people stay mentally energized, socially engaged, and connected for longer in challenging listening environments.”
According to Phonak, the company has long focused on developing hearing technologies that adapt to the listening demands of real life, and to best address this, Infinio Sphere hearing aids offer Phonak’s proprietary AI-based noise reduction, Spheric Speech Clarity. The company explains that, unlike conventional AI approaches with small Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) that first classify the environment and then post-process sound, Phonak uses a dedicated real-time DNN chip to extract, enhance, and reintegrate voices from all directions, to deliver clear speech from any direction instantly. 2 According to the company, findings like the ones described here strengthen the scientific proof that technologies exclusively available in Phonak hearing aids meaningfully support both hearing and well-being.
References
1Brain benefits of deep learning-based noise management in experienced hearing aid users using functional near infrared spectroscopy. Sci Rep 15, 41815 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-25801-y
2 Raufer, S., Kohlhauer, P., Jehle, F., Kühnel, V., Preuss, M., Hobi, S. (2024). Spheric Speech Clarity proven to outperform three key competitors for clear speech in noise. Phonak Field Study News retrieved from https://www.phonak.com/evidence
The full study can be accessed here.
CAPTION:
Featured image: The image on the left illustrates the brain while listening without AI-based noise reduction; the red areas show more oxygen concentration, which is less efficient. The image on the right illustrates the brain while listening with AI-based noise reduction; the smaller red areas show lower oxygen concentration, which indicates more efficient processing of speech. Image: Phonak
