Have You Ever Thought about a Career or Externship in Industry?

Posted on May 8, 2013 by

Choosing a career after graduation from an Au.D. program can be an exciting endeavor. There are numerous settings that employ audiologists, including the hearing aid industry. Careers in industry can be very clinical in nature as products are audiologically evaluated throughout the stages of development.

ReSound’s Erica Koehler, Au.D., Tammara Stender, Au.D., & Sarah Klett, Au.D., highlighted career options available for audiologists in industry, as well as externship opportunities for current students at the 2013 AudiologyNOW! conference.

Below is the typical process for hearing aid product development. Let’s take a look at where an audiologist “fits” into this process and how an audiologist is able to add value.

HAProcess_May6
Research
•    Assist in algorithm/feature development and testing
•    Service as the “audiologic expert” on different teams

Product/Brand Management
•    Expert on your brand
•    Marketing materials development

Sales
•    Interact with customers in the field
•    Negotiate pricing

Training
•    Train customers on products and software
•    Be the hands on product expert

Technical Support
•    Be the expert
•    Be the problem solver

As a student in an industry internship or externship with ReSound, you will be exposed to a number of clinical activities such as audiograms, immittance, REMs, fittings and fine tuning, as well as non-clinical activities such as test box measures, examining trial data, competitive analysis and fitting software testing. Through these activities a student can benefit by:
•    Learning about and getting involved in the process of hearing aid development?
•    Sharpening hearing aid fitting and fine tuning skills
•    Expanding knowledge about hearing aid signal processing
•    Exploring ways to verify hearing aid gains, outputs and new features
•    Publishing a paper or poster based on an independent or team research project

ReSound offers an exciting and rewarding intern/externship program with flexible summer, 6-month and 12-month options. Interested in working with us? Please contact Tammara Stender at tstender@gnresound.com for more information.

Posted in Company News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Innovative Technology Meets Invisible Design: ReSound Verso IIC

Posted on May 6, 2013 by

The ReSound VersoTM family includes an Invisible-In-the-Canal (IIC) hearing instrument. This style provides increased cosmetics appeal for individuals who prefer a deep-fitting device. The new Verso IIC also offers reduced wind noise, preserved natural localization and easier use on the telephone. In addition, no special or excessively deep earmold impressions are required.

At the 2013 AudiologyNOW! conference Kim Moller, MA and Jill Mecklenburger, Au.D. described the benefits of a deeply fitted custom hearing instrument.

According to a study of “non-adopters” of hearing aids, 48% indicated that “stigma” contributed to their desire not to wear hearing aids. Below is a graph of the percent likelihood of adopting hearing aids within two years for people with moderate to severe hearing loss. Note that when the “stigma” factor is eliminated with a nearly invisible hearing aid, the likelihood of adoption is higher than other psychosocial factors.

PercentAdoptionLikelihood
Since offering an invisible device likely drives higher hearing aid adoption rates, ReSound created the Verso IIC. The Verso IIC offers cosmetic appeal without the hassle of taking deep impressions during a fitting. The Verso IIC actually requires a normal TruFit impression. 96% percent of patients meet the physical requirements and therefore no special tool is required.

VersollCOther benefits of the ReSound Verso IIC:
• Wind noise protection
• Better localization
• Easier phone use
• Surround Sound technology – Environmental Optimizer II Verso 910-C & Environmental Optimizer in the Verso 710-C

Posted in Noise & Feedback | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Binaural Fusion: Device-to-device Communication

Posted on May 3, 2013 by

ReSound’s Lisa Sjolander, Au.D. and Lotte Hernvig, M.A. gave a recent presentation about the benefits of Binaural Fusion found in the ReSound VersoTM family of products at the 2013 AudiologyNOW! conference.  Let’s review Binaural Fusion.

What is ReSound Binaural Fusion?

Binaural Fusion compares data from two hearing instruments via device-to-device communication in order to provide the brain with the most accurate sound picture possible. This allows people with hearing instruments to make instantaneous, instinctive decisions about which sounds to focus on and what to ignore.

BinauralFusion

How does it work?

ReSound’s 2.4 GHz wireless technology coordinates the microphone modes between both hearing instruments for an optimal binaural response. The bilateral comparison of information – speech and noise data – steers the directional technology to make the most appropriate binaural decision.

HowBinauralWorks

What are the benefits of Binaural Fusion?

  • Transition time between Omni and Directional is gradual.
  • Allows for a seamless listening experience.
  • Prevents switching due to instantaneous sound events in the environment.
  • Prevents perceptual changes in sound quality.
  • Incorporates band-split directionality for its directional conditions and synchronized time constants for the low frequency omnidirectional processing.
  • Improves overall sound quality of the directional program while restoring audibility for low frequency sounds.
Posted in Noise & Feedback | Tagged , | Leave a comment

My Moment – Victoria Dinkin

Posted on May 1, 2013 by

Victoria Dinkin is an audiologist at the Audiology Associates of Marquette Hearing Health Clinic.  She shared her inspiring story of a husband and wife she recently fit with a pair of mini-RIC style              matching hearing aids.

The wife had worn hearing aids previously, but not for the past 5 years due to financial constraints, and she had been desiring amplification all of this time. She finally convinced her husband to go with her and be tested, and to also buy a pair of hearing aids if needed. They could only afford slightly above their insurance coverage and, accordingly, had saved towards hearing aids before they met me.

Testing revealed bilateral communicatively significant loss in both of them. He was CERTAIN that he would not want to wear a hearing aid at all. After fitting them both, I sent them to lunch (and the real world) and they were to return for some fine tuning before they returned home, since they live about 45 minutes away. Before he left for lunch (or officially purchased the aids), I overheard him tell his wife, “I think I am going to LOVE wearing these things!” Apparently the fit impressed him.

A couple of hours later, two beaming faces greeted me … especially his! He raved about the comfort, discreetness, and being able to hear the wind in the trees for the first time since he was a “young man”. Just before he left for the day, he told me that he liked my “colorful tiny display” of ReSound Dots, and asked if he could take one to show to all his friends just how small hearing aids are. He wanted to overcome their complaints and excuses, and give them my name so they could hear again!

My heart melted at that point. Not only did I help one man change his views and enjoy life again through regained hearing, but now he wanted to pay it forward to a group of his close friends. I happily gave him a dummy from my display that had a silicone receiver attached, and placed it in a ReSound hard case for a more “realistic experience” :) He laughed.

MomentsEmailHeader

Posted in Practice Management, Testimonials | Tagged | Leave a comment

Interview with Jennifer McGlothlin, Moment Maker Grant Winner

Posted on April 29, 2013 by

JenniferEarlier this month, we announced the winner of our very first Moment Maker Grant – Jennifer McGlothlin, Au.D, of Elite Audiology & Hearing Care in Mt Juliet, TN.  We interviewed Jennifer to learn how she got started in audiology and her plans for the future.

How did you first become interested in the field of audiology?
I first became interested in audiology when I volunteered at the Mama Lere hearing school at Vanderbilt when I was home from college one summer. I was originally considering speech pathology as a career path, but after working with those kiddos, I decided I was better suited for audiology.

Do you have hearing loss yourself or know anyone with hearing loss?  If so, how has this affected you in your professional life?
My grandmother suffered with hearing loss and I was able to evaluate her at the University of Tennessee Audiology Clinic when I was in graduate school at UT, Knoxville. A few years later (when she was ready), I fit her with her first hearing instruments & my family was very grateful! Since then, I have fit a few other family members with hearing instruments… I love being able to help improve their quality of life!

What motivated you to start your own practice?    
I knew I wanted to have my own health care practice (in some field) before I even decided on audiology as my profession. Both of my parents worked outside the home when I was growing up, so they weren’t always able to make it to my sporting events and extracurricular activities. I wanted to have flexibility in my career so that I could spend time with my kids and be involved with their activities. Once I began working in an ENT clinic, I also realized that private practice was the only way I would be able to exert my independence in my professional life (and probably the only way I’d ever be able to pay off my student loans!).

As of right now, I am the only audiologist in my practice, but I hope to hire additional audiologists in the future. I focus on helping people hear better with hearing instruments, tinnitus management and cerumen removal. In the future, I plan to expand the tinnitus portion of my clinic.

Jennifer2
What are your ultimate goals for your practice?
I plan to expand the tinnitus management portion, to add additional audiologists, to possibly add locations, and then to sell it to another audiologist one day! I hope to encourage the next generation of audiologists to exert their professional independence as private practice owners. While starting a practice “from scratch” has been (and continues to be) WAY harder than I ever imagined, I have full faith that it will be worth it one day! This is my mission field.

Jennifer lives in Nashville with her husband, Neil.  They are expecting their first child in July.  In her spare time, Jennifer loves playing volleyball and has been playing recreationally ever since she was captain of her high school volleyball team.  Jennifer plans to use the Moment Maker Grant for continuing education, specifically to attend the Tinnitus Practitioners Association- Associate Course in December.

Apply for the ReSound Moment Maker Grant today.

Posted in Practice Management, Company News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Device-to-Device Decisions for Hearing Instruments

Posted on April 26, 2013 by

JohnANelsonJ-GrothTStenderLaurel Christensen, GN ReSoundWireless communication between bilaterally fitted hearing instruments takes many different forms. The main goal at ReSound has been to provide the brain with binaural information that allows the auditory system to choose the signal of interest and fuse the signal into a single experience. This empowers the listener instead of the hearing instrument on signal of interest. The Resound Verso is unique in its ability to provide this listener-based solution.

ReSound’s John Nelson, Ph.D., Jennifer Groth, M.A., Tamara Stender, Au.D., & Laurel Christensen, Ph.D. discussed at the 2013 AudiologyNOW! conference common issues found with traditional device-to-device communication and how ReSound overcomes these limitations.

What are the common issues between most auto directionality systems?

  • Patients lose choice.
  • Patients do not hear the entire picture.
  • Patients get one-way listening environments – all sound from the front or only sound from the side or as another example only sound from the back.

How does ReSound overcome these limitations?

The ReSound Verso uses synchronized volume and push button which allows the listener to make a change to the volume control or push button on one instrument and the other instrument is automatically updated to match. Latency for volume and push button changes will nearly always take <1 second to synchronize. This results in a convenient and seamless hearing instrument wearing experience.Synchronization

Patients gain a more simplified process for changing listening programs as well as eliminating the need to work and find a balance between ears when adjusting volume. For patients with dexterity issues, it makes adjusting the hearing instruments easier.

ReSound also uses Binaural SoftSwitching. Traditional SoftSwitching has an omnidirectional microphone response that changes to directional when a low signal-to-noise ratio is detected. By adding Binaural analysis to the sound environment, ReSound can better ensure the correct response is achieved. Wireless exchange of information about the environment occurs through detectors on both hearing instruments thus resulting in optimal symmetry, congruence and sound quality.

Posted in Noise & Feedback | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Making the Most of Music with ReSound DFS Ultra Music Mode

Posted on April 24, 2013 by

TStenderStephen Hallenbeck, Au.dFor the audiophile, hearing aids often fall short of expectations for reproducing music. Audiologists fitting musicians or music-lovers need to understand the tools available to limit any negative impact on the musical signal. In this way the highest fidelity reproduction of sound quality can be achieved.

ReSound’s Tamara Stender, Au.D. and Steve Hallenbeck, Au.D. discussed at the 2013 AudiologyNOW! conference the inherent issues for hearing-aid processed music and how advanced signal processing can improve the listening experience.

Why is it difficult to fit music lovers?
First of all, music does NOT equal speech. Most hearing instruments today treat music the same as speech but differences abound. For example, on the frequency spectrum speech is controlled but music is highly variable. In terms of intensity dynamics, speech has a small range while music has a more variable range and higher intensities. Music also presents tonal qualities where speech does not.

Music often contains pure-tone-like input signals, such as flute or piano notes. Traditional feedback systems identify pure tones as feedback and try to cancel them. This erroneous feedback cancellation introduces a disturbing tonal sound artifact. But even with turning the feedback management “off” for music programs, it can still lead to feedback. For example, more hearing loss equals higher gain prescription as well as high levels of high-frequency gain without feedback management often leads to feedback.

Enter the ReSound DFS Ultra II Music Mode which is designed specifically to preserve music’s sound quality while eliminating feedback. Below is a comparison of the sound quality gained through the ReSound DFS Ultra II Music Mode versus competitors.SoundQualityComparison

How is the ReSound DFS Ultra II Music Mode different?

  • Improves DFS Ultra with better precision and scaling to more accurately cancel feedback.
  • Includes a new Music Mode setting.
  • Designed exclusively for feedback and artifact-free music listening.
  • Analyzes the input sound over a longer period of time.
  • Provides a built-in mild level of Whistle Control.

Counseling Tips

Counseling still plays an important role in the fitting of hearing instruments for musicians and audiophiles. Here are some tips:

  • During the initial fitting play musical sound files or clips through PC speakers to enhance the patient’s understanding of the listening situations he or she will encounter.
  • Encourage performance musicians to play their instruments while wearing their hearing instrument to gain experiential learning.
  • Provide patients with volume control instructions for adjustments with high level music.
Posted in Noise & Feedback | Tagged , | 2 Comments