Summary: Two of Widex’s latest products, the SmartRIC hearing aid and the Sound Assist multifunctional accessory, have been honored with 2024 Red Dot Design Awards in the Healthcare category.
Takeaways:
- The Widex SmartRIC was recognized for its L-shaped design which optimizes microphone positioning for improved directionality and better alignment with the wearer’s focus.
- Widex Sound Assist offers a versatile and compact five-in-one device designed to enhance communication for hearing aid wearers.
- Widex’s multiple Red Dot Design Awards underscore the company’s dedication to the field of hearing aid technology.
Widex announced that its new Widex SmartRIC hearing aids and the Widex Sound Assist multifunctional accessory are winners of 2024 Red Dot Design Awards. Both products took home awards in the Healthcare category, while SmartRIC was also named a winner in the Medical Devices and Technology category.
The Red Dot Design Awards
Winners of the Red Dot Design Awards are recognized for featuring a design that stands out amongst thousands of submissions from companies and design studios across the world.
Widex SmartRIC, the company’s latest hearing aid, was selected for its L-shaped design that places the microphones at an improved angle to enhance directionality and better align with the wearer’s focus. Sound Assist stood out for being an attractive, discrete device designed to help wearers feel more connected to the sounds around them.
“Widex SmartRIC and Sound Assist are the latest results of our continued pursuit to deliver the perfection of pure, natural sound in unique designs that people are proud to show off,” says Claudia Schiffhauer, head of Brand, Widex. “Whether participating in a one-on-one conversation, lively dinner, or important phone call, both devices help wearers better engage in social situations and live their lives to the fullest. We are proud to join an exclusive circle of companies whose innovative designs are improving lives for people across the world.”
The Widex SmartRIC
Widex SmartRIC’s L-shape places the device higher up on the wearer’s ear, ensuring the angle between the device’s two microphones becomes closer to horizontal. This enables the directional microphone to align with what wearers are focusing on, resulting in an improved signal-to-noise ratio in noisy environments, according to the company.
In addition to the L-shaped angle, Widex made several other design choices to craft a dependable and convenient solution that lets wearers enjoy the freedom of not having to think about their hearing aids when they are on the go.
Newly designed microphone inlets effectively reduce wind and touch noise to make challenging listening situations more comfortable. Wearers on the move also benefit from the included fast-charging case—Widex’s first-ever portable charging solution.
The compact case can fully charge the hearing aids in four hours, or add eight hours of continuous use through a 30-minute fast charge. The case offers five full charges and fits easily into a pocket or small bag.
Widex Sound Assist
Widex Sound Assist is a five-in-one device designed to improve communication through partner and table microphone functionality, high-quality hands-free phone calls, direct streaming from any Bluetooth device, and remote control of Widex Moment and Widex Moment Sheer hearing aids. Compact and discrete, Sound Assist fits into the palm of wearers’ hands and delivers 10 hours of mixed-use battery life.
Widex has now won a total of 4 Red Dot Design awards, as well as 2 other design awards from Good Design Award and German Design Award.
Featured image: Widex SmartRIC and charging case. Photo: Widex
