Oticon Intent hearing aid works with the iPhone, Apple Watch

Oticon, Inc. has launched the Oticon Intent, which the company says is the world’s first hearing aid equipped with user-intent sensors that understand and adapt to what individuals want to hear. 

New BrainHearing insights show that monitoring head and body movements can provide crucial information about a hearing aid user’s communication intent in various listening situations, according to  Virginia Ramachandran, AuD, PhD, Head of Audiology at Oticon. Pioneering 4D Sensor technology, Oticon Intent taps into these insights, combining inputs on head motion, body movement, conversation activity and acoustic environment to understand precisely what users need and want to listen to, she says. 

“It then seamlessly adjusts the hearing support it provides,” Ramachandran says. “This offers a more intuitive, responsive and personalized hearing experience that mimics the brain’s natural way of processing sound.”

Oticon Intent provides access to 360 degrees of sound while prioritizing each individual’s listening need — all in Oticon’s smallest, most discreet rechargeable hearing aid to date. This could mean providing spatial awareness to help wearers navigate environments and find conversation partners. To support intimate one-on-one chats, Oticon Intent focuses on the speaker amidst surrounding noise. Meanwhile in group conversations, the hearing aid responds to the turning of a wearer’s head from side to side to detect and heighten speech access to multiple voices.

“Oticon has always been driven by the understanding that while the ears hear, it’s the brain that makes sense of sounds. With Oticon Intent, we’ve enhanced our BrainHearing approach to give wearers greater access to the sounds and speech that will enable them to actively participate in everyday situations,” says Ramachandran. ”Our new sensor technology allows the device to understand the wearer’s listening intentions and adapt in real time, providing unparalleled support and clarity in every conversation. With Oticon Intent, we ensure you can more easily communicate in any situation.”

Powered by advanced features, including a second-generation Deep Neural Network (DNN), Oticon Intent improves sound quality, listening comfort and speech comprehension, and delivers more sound nuances and access to speech, she adds. 

The hearing aid purportedly features up to 20 hours of battery life. A 30-minute charge provides the hearing aids with 8 hours of power, while a 2-hour charge will provide power for a full day’s use. The device’s sleek design and IP68 dust and moisture resistance rating demonstrate Oticon’s durability and style commitment, says Ramachandran.

Oticon Intent utilizes next-generation Bluetooth LE Audio that supports modern connectivity standards. This includes those made for iPhone and Android phones with OS 14 and newer updates, tablets and PCs, as well as Android Protocol for Audio Streaming (ASHA).

Users can now connect to a wide range of devices and accessories for hands-free calling, direct streaming of music and audiobooks, and more. The Oticon Intent is compatible with the Oticon Companion app, allowing users to manage their hearing experience conveniently from their smartphone or Apple Watch.