Advanced Bionics Cochlear Implant Processors to Become Bluetooth Compatible with Android, iPhone and Even Classic Cell Phones

Cochlear implant maker, Advanced Bionics, announced last week that the company will be incorporating Sonova’s new SWORD (Sonova Wireless One Radio Digital) chip technology into their devices. Current users of the Naída CI Q90 processor, as well as future recipients, will be able to use their device to connect to any Bluetooth-enabled cell phone.

The new wireless technology platform allows for direct connectivity to Android and iPhone devices, as well classic cell phones using Bluetooth – all without the end user having to wear an intermediary device.

The new chip is said to work seamlessly with Sonova’s proprietary 2.4 GHz wireless protocols, such as Roger™, for hearing in noise and over distance, and AirStream™ technology, enabling a new plug-and-play solution for high-quality TV streaming.

“By offering a solution to the entire market – including the more than 80% of the world’s smartphone owners who purchased Android devices – Sonova becomes the first and only major hearing solutions company to unlock the enormous potential of universal direct connectivity. Our chip will be the foundation for a wide variety of unique and innovative solutions in the coming years.” — Lukas Braunschweiler, CEO of Sonova

The new SWORD chip has been dubbed the “Made for All” solution, and is being incorporated into all Sonova-brand product portfolios: Phonak, Unitron, Hansaton and Advanced Bionics.

Sonova: The SWORD Chip “Most Advanced” Ever Used in Hearing Instruments

According to Sonova, the company’s SWORD chip includes more than 42 million transistors placed on less than 7 mm2 of silicon, and offers the lowest power consumption of any hearing aid using Bluetooth Classic.

The new SWORD chip runs multiple communication protocols to choose the best solution for any specific application: Standard Bluetooth (Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth LE) protocols to connect to multimedia audio sources, proprietary protocols such as AirStream, and the ear-to-ear communication protocols supporting binaural applications.

According to Sonova, the new SWORD chip technology is “future-proof” and will be capable of “supporting advancements in wireless features and a world of digital service solutions, such as distance support, for future generations of hearing devices.”

Filling a significant gap in the industry

By offering universal connectivity, incorporating the company’s SWORD chip technology into Naida sound processors, Sonova offers the implant industry’s first “Made for All” direct connectivity solution for Android, iPhone and classic cell phones.

Source: Advanced Bionics