1 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Importance of FM Systems and Product Overview Evert Dijkstra, Phonak Communications, Murten, Switzerland

2 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Outline  Introduction FM systems  State-of-the art FM systems for hearing impaired children, adults, and CI recipients  State-of-the art FM systems for children with Auditory Processing Disorders, Attention Deficit and Learning Disabilities  Conclusions

3 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Introduction Noise Reverberation Distance Three factors deteriorate the Signal-to-Noise ratio and therefore the speech perception

4 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Noise Many of our daily activities are happening in a noisy environment

5 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX HL and additionally required SNR Necessary SNR for 50% recognition of sentences (adults) Average hearing loss in dB Signal-to-Noise ratio in dB (Ref.: normal hearing) Killion, 1997

6 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Difference in SNR between children and adults Curves compare adult and infant sound discrimination in noise - normal hearing Children are at a greater disadvantage than adults Noise has greatest impact on children during the period of language acquisition Infants 8-11 months Adults Nozza et al., Signal-to-Noise Ratio (dB) Proportion correct

7 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Echo All rooms cause echos; depending on building materials some more than others

8 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Field Study Helfer & Wilber  Comparison scores for different ages  With S/R = 10 dB  Words with/without meanings

9 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Meaningful Words

10 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Meaningless words

11 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Distance Distance (Meter) dB Noise floor Recordings: (

12 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Effect of distance on normal hearing children and adults  All children are at a disadvantage when listening to a distant speaker or in background noise  Hearing impaired children have an even greater disadvantage in these environments Adapted from Johnson 1996 Age Group Word recognition up-close in quiet (1.8 m) Word recognition with distance &noise (7 m) 4 years 5 years 6 years Adult 88.3% 94.3% 98% 99.3%97.0% 86.7% 84% 67% Normal hearing children and adults

13 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Available technologies?  Key Question: Are there technologies that can simultaneously restore the required SNR, avoid the impact of echo’s and overcome the distance ?  Answer today: Only one, I.e. FM technology  Answer tomorrow: Most likely only one, I.e. FM technology

14 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Principle of FM FM

15 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Fieldstudy with 48 adults Source: Valente, 2002

16 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Settings for fieldstudy SuperZoom (2 directional microphones) Zoom (1 directional microphone) Wide-Angle (1 omnidirectional microphone) TX3 Claro-FM

17 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX (SD) 4.3 dB Source: Valente, 2002

18 EduLink S MultiFrequencySmartLink SX Evolution of FM receivers Body-worn MicroLink MLx Focus: Robustness Focus: Miniaturization Focus: Standardization Focus: Flexibility MLxS iLink Focus: Integration 2005