It should come as no surprise that when we develop new hearing instruments, sound performance is always top of mind.

Through years of development, we’ve reached the stage where with we can accurately classify different listening environments and automatically activate the appropriate features at the right strength and in the right combination with others to optimize performance in each situation. Our sophisticated automatic system, Integra OS, determines what kind of sound environment clients are in and automatically adjusts accordingly. It combines powerful binaural communication and a range of performance innovations to meet the needs of both high and low complexity listening environments.

And we are proud to say that sound performance with Vivante is our best yet.

We have developed new features to help wearers address their number one challenge – conversations in noise, adding an 8th listening environment to the Integra OS automatic system to really help wearers in those most difficult listening environments.

With an aim to improve the listening experience for wearers, our 8th listening environment conversation in loud noise, utilizes our new Hyperfocus microphone mode. HyperFocus improves the signal-to-noise ratio for face-to-face conversation by applying a highly focused, or narrow directional beam to speech coming from the front. This is accomplished by leveraging the 4-microphone network available with 2 wireless hearing instruments in a binaural fitting.

When we exchange the audio between two hearing instruments, we can create a narrower beam than we’ve ever been able to before. This narrower beam gives the listener the best opportunity to improve the SNR, and when we are talking about conversations in high noise, every dB SNR improvement matters.

As we continue to tackle tricky listening situations, one that continually presents challenges is in the car, especially when listeners are sitting in the front seat with passengers to their side or back. Think for a moment about the variety of sounds in a car - the roar of the engine, the tires on the road, fans, air conditioners, not to mention the reverberation of sound within. It all adds up to an acoustic environment that is different from other loud listening environments like in a crowd or at a party.

In cars, directional systems that cannot detect where speech is coming from might activate  forward directionality, which could make things worse and not better for the listener trying to have a conversation in the car. This is made worse if unable to turn and face the speaker, which is clearly the case if the wearer is driving.

With Vivante, we address this with a new manual program specifically for this unique acoustic environment. Leveraging our unique speech location capability, we can quickly and accurately identify where the speech is coming from and automatically focus the directional system regardless of where passengers are sitting.

By simply activating the 360 conversation in car program wearers can once again enjoy the fun banter of a road trip with everyone in the car. Vivante’s sound performance doesn’t make pit stops. Wherever life takes your clients, Vivante is along for the ride. 

With each new platform, we strive to make meaningful improvements in sound performance, and Vivante has taken that to the next level. In even more situations, specifically those challenging situations of conversations in loud noise and in the car, Vivante is there for your clients, wherever they are off to next.