STAFA, SWITZERLAND — Phonak has announced that they are extending the benefits of the company’s popular Marvel hearing aid technology to children and infants, with the release of the new Sky™ Marvel (M).
The new Sky M was designed and “engineered to provide pediatric wearers the best hearing solution possible for optimal speech and language development as well as speech intelligibility and ease of use”. According to the company’s announcement, the new Sky M offers the first operating system designed for children, including 24 percent better speech understanding in noise1, maximum access to all speech sounds, and a rechargeable battery that lasts all day.
All Sky M devices will now have RogerDirect™ integrated, which allows the Roger microphones to stream directly to Marvel hearing aids without having to attach an external receiver and the children to fully participate in conversations even in very noisy environments such as school activities.
First Pediatric Hearing Aids with Universal Bluetooth Connectivity
Thanks to Phonak’s Marvel technology, Sky M is “the world’s first pediatric hearing aid to offer universal Bluetooth® connectivity to Android and iOS devices”.
Given that 78% elementary students report they regularly use a tablet or smartphone and almost 80% of schools report using tablets in the classroom2, the connectivity available in Sky M helps allow children with hearing loss in the classroom have equal access to all these technologies.
Sky M devices are available in a wide range of colors and sizes, and designed to help children with mild, moderately severe, severe and profound degrees of hearing loss.
Facilitating the building of strong relationships, essential for children’s development
According to the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, children experience the world through relationships3. The quality and stability of these relationships lay the foundation for a wide range of developmental outcomes, including self-confidence, a sense of well-being, motivation to learn and achievement in school and later life.
Research shows that back-and-forth interactions and turn-taking conversations are critical for building important bonds.
“Establishing close relationships is essential for a child’s optimal social, emotional and cognitive development, and Phonak is committed to offering every child with hearing loss the best possible start in life. Enabling children of all ages to communicate more effectively allows them to fully nurture their important relationships from the first moment, be it in family life, in school or socially.”
–Martin Grieder, Group VP of Marketing for Sonova
Sky M Joins Marvel 2.0 Family of Devices
The latest update of the Marvel hearing aid portfolio now comprises the Phonak Audéo™ M-RT Receiver-In-Canal (RIC) model, the Phonak Bolero™ Marvel Behind-The-Ear (BTE) model, and the Phonak Sky™ Marvel pediatric models.
The Audéo Marvel-RT, Bolero Marvel and Sky Marvel will begin shipping in select countries on August 26. Additional information, visuals and videos about Phonak Marvel technology are available at www.phonak.com, www.phonakpro.com/marvel and on YouTube here.
References:
- Wolfe, J., Jones, C., & Rakita, L. (2018). Noise technologies: What do kids need and what do they want?, Phonak Field Study News, Retrieved fromwww.phonakpro.com/evidence, accessed August
- Ofcom. (2019). Children and parents: Media use and attitudes report 2018. Retrieved from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/media-literacy-research/childrens/children-and-parents-media-use-and-attitudes-report-2018, accessed August 19th, 2019.
- National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2004). Young children develop in an environment of relationships. Retrieved from https://46y5eh11fhgw3ve3ytpwxt9r-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2004/04/Young-Children-Develop-in-an- Environment-of-Relationships.pdf
- World Health Organization, “Childhood Hearing Loss – Act Now, Here’s How”, 2016, https://www.who.int/pbd/deafness/world-hearing-day/WHD2016_Brochure_EN_2.pdf
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Bluetooth® word mark is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such mark by Sonova AG is under license. IOS is a trademark of Cisco Technology, Inc. Android is a trademark of Google LLC.
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