Summary: The ReSound Nexia hearing aid portfolio is now available to U.S. veterans at over 400 VA audiology clinics.

Takeaways:

  1. ReSound Nexia offers improved speech understanding capabilities and includes a new wireless CROS/BiCROS solution developed for people with single-sided deafness.
  2. The portfolio supports Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast broadcast audio, enabling veterans to connect seamlessly to audio broadcasts in public spaces, enhancing accessibility and social participation.
  3. The Government Services ReSound Nexia portfolio includes RIE, Micro RIE, BTE, and custom-made models.

GN announced that the ReSound Nexia hearing aid portfolio is now available to U.S. veterans through audiologists and technicians of the Department of Veterans Affairs at more than 400 VA audiology clinics and sites of care nationwide.

What does ReSound Nexia offer?

First launched in the U.S. in September 2023, ReSound Nexia features a highly-rated(1) speech-understanding-in-noise performance while also introducing ReSound’s smallest rechargeable RIE (receiver-in-ear) style and is also made for Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio and Auracast broadcast audio.

ReSound Nexia also includes a new wireless CROS/BiCROS solution developed for people with single-sided deafness who need to transmit sound to their better hearing ear. The ReSound Nexia CROS transmitter is the smallest rechargeable aid on the market, and can be used with any of the ReSound Nexia hearing aids that use a disposable battery.

“Veterans have unique hearing needs, and we think the introduction of ReSound Nexia will give them and their care teams some new outstanding treatment options,” says John Pettus, Vice President, of Government Services, ReSound. “Not only can they get top-rated technology for hearing speech in noisy situations, they will be able to tap into the future of public accessibility audio with Auracast.”

Hearing Conversations in Noisy Places

A recent survey conducted by GN shows that on average, one in three hearing aid wearers make excuses not to go out because of the impact noisy environments will have on their enjoyment and would prefer to stay at home instead, according to the company.

ReSound Nexia delivers exceptional speech understanding in noise while offering industry leading access to and awareness of surrounding sounds.(2)

The signature combination of 4-mic binaural beamformer and omni-directional listening vastly improves access to speech from all directions and enables people to automatically hear their best across all listening situations, helping to improve how they interact with the world around them.

Further reading: New GN Initiative to Raise Awareness of Link Between Hearing and Cognitive Health

Bluetooth LE Audio & Auracast

ReSound Nexia also takes advantage of Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio, the next generation of Bluetooth LE. It is an improved and more power-efficient way of wirelessly transmitting audio from one device (like a smartphone) to another (ear buds, headsets, hearing aids). 

This new platform also makes the highly anticipated Auracast broadcast audio a possibility – a technology that promises to revolutionize accessibility to any audio broadcast in public spaces such as schools, places of worship, airports, museums and sports bars. With Auracast broadcast audio, ReSound Nexia wearers will be able to hear important announcements through their hearing aids with a quick connection to a public transmitter. Bluetooth SIG expects more than 3 billion Auracast devices in 2.5 million places by 2030.(3), offering a simple, effective alternative to existing technologies such as telecoil and FM systems.

The Government Services ReSound Nexia portfolio includes Receiver-In-Ear (RIE) and Micro RIE styles, Behind-the-Ear (BTE) and custom-made styles, including rechargeable models, as well as the CROS/BiCROS solution, giving more people with hearing loss access to ReSound’s most advanced hearing aid technology.

Featured image: ReSound Nexia hearing aids. Photo: GN Hearing.

References:

  1. End-user NPS rating, GN Proprietary data on file
  2. Groth et al (2023)
  3. Bluetooth SIG. Market Research Note. LE Audio: The Future of Bluetooth Audio