Summary:
The ReSound Vivia, a very small AI-powered hearing aid with Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast, is now available to U.S. military veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs, offering advanced speech-in-noise clarity, all-day comfort, and seamless connectivity.
Key Takeaways:
- AI-Driven Sound Clarity: The Vivia uses a deep neural network trained on millions of speech samples to significantly improve speech understanding in noisy environments.
- Veteran Access Nationwide: It is now offered through VA audiology clinics, addressing the complex hearing needs of U.S. veterans.
- Advanced Connectivity: Vivia supports Bluetooth LE Audio, Auracast, and introduces the first app-based Auracast Assistant for effortless streaming in public spaces.
GN’s ReSound Vivia, reportedly the world’s smallest AI-powered hearing aid that also features Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast broadcast audio, is now available to United States military veterans through Department of Veterans Affairs audiology clinics and sites of care nationwide.
First launched in the U.S. in February, ReSound Vivia hearing aids are designed to deliver excellent sound quality in noisy environments and all-day comfort without compromising size or battery life. Central to this innovation is GN’s distinctively human approach to AI, which models the brain’s natural sound processing capability to create voice clarity in complex listening environments.
ReSound Vivia’s “Intelligent Focus” feature combines an upgraded 4-microphone binaural beamformer with a noise reduction system that uses a deep neural network (DNN) chip trained on identifying speech in noise. The feature is activated by the hearing aid user when it’s needed, putting AI power to work in the toughest hearing environments. Once activated, the DNN chip helps prioritize speech over noise, seamlessly integrating with the person’s perception of their environment.
This new dedicated DNN chip was added to enable this enhanced listening experience. According to the company, the DNN-powered solution is up to 17 times more efficient than other leading hearing solutions with directionality and DNN noise reduction, resulting in a significant improvement in speech understanding. Trained on 13.5 million spoken sentences in various languages and with varied vocal effort across 3.9 million tuned sound parameters, the DNN can perform 4.9 trillion operations per day to spotlight speech and reduce background noise.
“Veterans oftentimes have unique and challenging hearing needs,” says John Pettus, vice president, Government Services, ReSound. “ReSound Vivia takes hearing speech-in-noise to the next level by tapping into the power of artificial intelligence, while still giving control to the person wearing them to make those listening decisions. It’s not just about amplifying sound. It’s about intelligently enhancing the sounds that matter most.”
The ReSound Vivia microRIE style offers 30 hours of wear on one battery charge and 20 hours of use for a typical day using a combination of Intelligent Focus and audio streaming. This all-day power ensures users can enjoy uninterrupted hearing and seamless connectivity without compromise.
ReSound Vivia supports Bluetooth LE Audio, including Auracast broadcast audio, the state-of-the-art low-energy connectivity feature. This means more people than ever will start to enjoy new streaming and communication opportunities in public places such as theaters, airports, restaurants, and arenas.
As part of this launch, GN also introduces the world’s first app which integrates an Auracast Assistant for hearing aids. Connecting to Auracast is now as simple as a single tap in the ReSound Smart 3D app. This streamlined process simplifies selecting Auracast streams, even with smartphones and devices that don’t yet have an Auracast assistant built in.
The Government Services Vivia portfolio includes a microRIE rechargeable and two non-rechargeable RIE models, including a CROS model in the microRIE style—all in a wide variety of colors—including the new Navy Blue and Red.
Featured image: ReSound Vivia hearing aids. Photo: GN
