DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – MED-EL USA will participate in the 2025 American Cochlear Implant Association (ACIA) meeting in Boston, presenting two educational symposia and officially launching the SONNET 3 audio processor in the United States. The annual CI2025 meeting brings together clinicians, researchers, and industry professionals dedicated to advancing cochlear implant care.
The SONNET 3, now FDA-approved for use in the U.S., is designed for streamlined bilateral application and supports direct wireless streaming without the need for additional devices. It features a flexible ear hook, IP68 waterproof rating, and enhanced automatic sound management with ASM 3.0, which continuously adapts settings based on environmental conditions.
“ACIA is a great meeting for the cochlear implant community to further the goal of using clinical research to drive evidence-based practice,” said Allison Racey, AuD, Vice President of Clinical Research, MED-EL.
“MED-EL supports research aimed to develop and deliver leading-edge technology to restore hearing and empower connection. We’re excited to showcase our dedication to personalized solutions for all cochlear implant candidates, including those with single-sided deafness or residual hearing.”
Amanda D. Sloop, AuD, CCC-A, Research Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, emphasized the processor’s clinical benefits. “MED-EL has a longstanding commitment to science that aims to optimize outcomes and sound quality for cochlear implant recipients. The SONNET 3 technology continues to take advantage of individualized mapping mechanisms and ASM 3.0 features, while addressing key requests from recipients and audiologists alike, including a smaller, more comfortable, and more durable processor design, direct streaming capabilities, and more customization within the programming software for audiologists.”
Upcoming Symposia at CI2025
MED-EL will present two symposia during the ACIA conference:
- Single-Sided Deafness and MED-EL Cochlear Implants: The Optimal Choice
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | 2:45–4:00 PM
This session will focus on cochlear implant solutions for patients with single-sided deafness. Topics include OTOPLAN-guided electrode selection, anatomy-based fitting techniques, and early clinical insights from SONNET 3 users. - Hear Us Out: Expanding Access and Personalizing Cochlear Implant Solutions
Saturday, May 3, 2025 | 7:30–8:30 AM
Attendees will learn about innovations that increase access to cochlear implants and support personalized treatment strategies, including advances in hearing preservation and outcome optimization.
MED-EL’s presence at CI2025 underscores the company’s continued investment in clinical research and user-centered technology.
About MED-EL
MED-EL Medical Electronics, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, is driven by its mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and quality of life. The Austrian-based, privately owned business was co-founded by industry pioneers Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair. Their ground-breaking research led to the development of the world’s first micro-electronic multi-channel cochlear implant (CI), which was successfully implanted in 1977 and became the basis for the modern CI today. The company hired its first employees in 1990 and has since grown to more than 2,900 employees across 90 nations and 30 locations worldwide.
The company offers the widest range of implantable and non-implantable solutions to treat all types of hearing loss, enabling people in 137 countries to enjoy the gift of hearing with the help of a MED-EL device. MED-EL’s hearing solutions include cochlear and middle ear implant systems, a combined electric acoustic stimulation hearing implant system, as well as surgical and non-surgical bone conduction devices. www.medel.com
