siemens aquaris waterproof and shock resistant hearing aid

siemens aquaris waterproof hearing aid

for those with hearing loss, activities such as swimming, or going to the beach require extra attention, where elements such as dust, water or sand, can easily ruin or damage expensive assistive devices – which often cost upwards of thousands of dollars. whether being used for leisure time or in a working environment, the new siemens ‘aquaris waterproof hearing aid’ which was presented at the 2013 CES addresses the concerns associated with these sorts of activities.

the device is dust proof, and shock resistant

watertight seals and membranes keep moisture out while still allowing air to flow, which is necessary when using standard zinc air batteries. capable of being submerged in three feet of water for 30 minutes without damage, the hearing aid also incorporates a bluetooth transmitter and microphone, which allows for the possibility of streaming audio directly from a source using ‘voicelink’.

this feature provides communication in situations where swimming coaches need to communicate with their training athletes in the water – transmitting information with a 20 millisecond delay – a 1000% improvement from lag normally found with bluetooth connectivity.

user context at the beach

‘it’s understandable that hearing aids can get damaged with sweat, water, dust and sand. but people shouldn’t have to choose between the activities they love and the ability to hear,’ says thomas powers, vice president of product management who is also an audiologist. 

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