STÄFA, SWITZERLAND — Phonak has announced that its EON hearing aid portfolio is now available through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD), expanding access to the company’s latest hearing technology for eligible veterans and active-duty military personnel.
The EON platform incorporates Phonak’s newest artificial intelligence-based sound processing technology, including Spheric Speech Clarity 3.0 and AutoSense OS AI 8.0, alongside expanded wireless connectivity and improvements in battery efficiency.
According to Phonak, the new HYPERSONIC chip allows EON to deliver advanced real-time sound processing in a device that is 25% smaller and 20% lighter than the previous Sphere generation, while providing up to 38 hours of battery life under specified conditions.
Phonak’s new Audéo EON Sphere features a 25% smaller design compared with the previous Sphere generation, while the new HYPERSONIC™ AI chip powers Spheric Speech Clarity 3.0 with improved processing efficiency.
“Hearing loss impacts the moments that matter most, from conversations with loved ones to the transition into life after military service,” said Nicholai Dessypris, President, North America, Hearing Instruments at Sonova Group.
“With Phonak EON now available through the VA, we’re giving those who have served, and those who continue to serve, the power to hear, connect and fully engage in the lives they’ve worked so hard to protect.”
AI Processing and Speech Understanding in Noise
Phonak EON combines two artificial intelligence systems that operate simultaneously to address different aspects of the listening environment.
Spheric Speech Clarity 3.0 uses deep neural network processing to distinguish speech from competing background noise in real time. Phonak reports that, under the conditions of its referenced research, the technology made users twice as likely to understand every word from any direction compared with equivalent settings without Spheric Speech Clarity.1
AutoSense OS AI 8.0 works alongside this processing system, continuously analyzing the acoustic environment and automatically selecting appropriate hearing aid features. The company says the latest generation is designed to provide a more natural listening experience in challenging speech-in-noise situations compared with the previous generation.2
The underlying technology and design considerations behind the Phonak Audéo EON Sphere AI hearing aid have also been explored in greater detail, including advances in speech processing, the HYPERSONIC chip, and real-world listening applications.
EON additionally introduces WindBlock 2.0, which Phonak says can reduce wind noise by up to 50 dB and improve signal-to-noise ratio by up to 30 dB under specified test conditions.3 The feature is intended to support communication in outdoor environments where wind can interfere with speech understanding.
Smaller Design, Longer Battery Life, and Expanded Connectivity
The HYPERSONIC chip is designed to improve the efficiency of Phonak’s real-time AI processing. According to the company, it uses 37% less power than the previous generation, contributing to the smaller and lighter design of the EON platform.
“With the HYPERSONIC™ chip, we have engineered a significant step forward in power efficiency without compromising real-time AI performance. This allows EON to deliver advanced speech processing in a smaller, lighter design while supporting the all-day reliability people expect from Phonak,” said Anders Rosengren, Chief R&D Officer, Sonova.
The hearing aids provide up to 38 hours of battery life on a single charge, although actual runtime depends on factors such as hearing loss, streaming activity, environmental conditions, and activated features.
EON is available in nine color options and is supported by two new charging solutions, including the ChargerGo RIC E portable charger with an integrated battery for charging on the go.
Connectivity is another central component of the platform. Phonak’s Made-For-All approach combines Bluetooth Classic, Roger Direct, and Auracast broadcast audio compatibility, allowing users to connect with a range of smartphones, wireless microphones, and compatible public audio systems.
The addition of Auracast enables access to supported broadcast audio systems in public environments such as airports, theaters, and museums, where the technology has been implemented.
Hearing Aid Options for Veterans and Military Personnel
The EON portfolio available through government hearing care programs includes several hearing aid configurations intended to address different audiological needs.
- Phonak Audéo EON Sphere: Designed for individuals with mild to profound hearing loss, incorporating the company’s Spheric Speech Clarity technology.
- Phonak Audéo EON R: A rechargeable receiver-in-canal hearing aid for mild to profound hearing loss.
- Phonak CROS EON R: A solution for individuals with unilateral hearing loss who may benefit from CROS technology.
The announcement also includes new charging options, enhancements to Phonak Target fitting software, and updates to the myPhonak and myPhonak Junior applications.
Phonak highlighted the platform’s outdoor performance through an Arctic expedition involving Dr. Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, a scholar, researcher, and educator who lives with hearing loss. She was the first person outside Phonak to wear and test EON during the expedition, reporting positive experiences with speech understanding and wind-noise management in challenging conditions.
Describing her experience, Klekowski von Koppenfels said:
“Hearing aids aren’t limiting, they are empowering. In unforgiving Arctic conditions, I was able to hear a crack in the packed snow beneath us and follow conversations clearly over the sound of crunching snow. EON’s WindBlock performed remarkably well, even as the wind whipped around us and made the tents flap. Despite wearing as many as four layers of hats and cold-weather gear, I could hear so clearly that, at times, other members of the expedition without hearing loss were asking me to repeat what had been said, rather than the other way around.”
Her experience provides an example of the company’s intended real-world applications, although it does not replace controlled clinical evaluation of device performance.
Veteran-Focused Campaign and Availability
Alongside the expanded VA and DOD availability, Phonak has introduced a campaign titled “Built by Veterans. Created to Serve.”
The company partnered with veteran-owned creative agency VEN-Media to develop the campaign, involving veterans throughout the production process. According to Phonak, all on-camera participants were veterans, while veteran-owned businesses and professionals also contributed to photography, video production, and other aspects of the project.
Phonak said the initiative was intended to reflect the experiences of military personnel and veterans while highlighting the role of hearing technology in maintaining communication and participation in everyday life.
The EON portfolio is available to eligible veterans, retired military personnel, and active-duty service members through VA audiologists and participating government audiology programs, including those operated by the Department of Defense.
Additional information about Phonak hearing technology for veterans and military personnel is available at veterans.phonak.com.
References
- Wright, A., Kuehnel, V., Keller, M., Seitz-Paquette, K., & Latzel, M. (2024). Spheric Speech Clarity applies DNN signal processing to significantly improve speech understanding from any direction and reduce the listening effort. Phonak Field Study News. Available through Phonak Evidence.
- Preuss, M., & Müller, S. (2026). AutoSense OS AI 8.0 provides a more natural listening experience for speech in loud noise. Phonak Insight. Available through Phonak Evidence.
- Lindeman, A., & Brunner, J. (2026). Enhancing outdoor communication: WindBlock 2.0 reduces wind noise by up to 50 dB. Phonak Insight. Available through Phonak Evidence.
Note: Phonak’s reported Spheric Speech Clarity results compare hearing aids with the feature enabled against equivalent settings without the feature. WindBlock 2.0 performance is compared with the feature switched off. Maximum battery runtime varies according to battery condition, hearing loss, environmental sound classification, streaming usage, and activated features.
Source: Phonak
