As described by Paul Dybala, Ph.D. in the current issue of the professional publication Audiology Today, the mobile phone "has become the worldwide, de facto communications device and with the advent of wireless headsets, it is now ear level". To hearing healthcare professionals and mobile communications device manufacturers, the convergence of traditional hearing instruments and mobile communications devices does not look like an impossible feat anymore. Instead, the industries see it as an opportunity and are actually starting to look ahead to more hearing instrument functionality built into mobile devices.
Over the next week or so, The thinkHealth Report will highlight technologies crossing the line that divides what is viewed as communication devices and hearing instruments. These previously distinct worlds are rapidly morphing into one and it is becoming increasingly difficult to know what is in someone's ear. So the next time you're standing on line at the grocery store, take a look at what's in the ear of the person standing in front of you. Is it a Bluetooth device for the phone? A hearing instrument? Or maybe it's both.
Gennum Corp's Z-E-N
Canada-based Gennum Corporation designs and builds semiconductors and semiconductor-based products for video, audio and data communications. The company has released the Z-E-N, a Bluetooth headset designed to rest over the ear.
Z-E-N looks similar in appearance to other Gennum headsets that are offered at about three times the cost. The HearPhone H3650, for example, retails for approximately $500 and requires customized programming by your hearing healthcare provider based on your hearing profile/ test results.
The Z-E-N incorporates what is known as L-E-A-P Technology, or Local Environment Audio Processing. This allows the user to hear mildly amplified environmental sounds when the phone is not in use. Gennum offers the Z-E-N line in three different models, but only one (the Z-E-N 470) contains L-E-A-P technology. The headset allows for some customization of sound through an eight-band graphic equalizer controlled by pairing the device to any PC.
According to Nathan Robinson, Director of Business Development for Gennum, "The Z-E-N is a great choice for people who do not want to spend a lot of money but are looking for Bluetooth connectivity along with some environmental amplification". One other bit of information to keep in mind: for users looking to achieve a better physical/ acoustic fit, a custom earpiece can be molded by your audiologist to fit the Z-E-N for a more comfortable listening experience.


