Widex Announces New Widex SmartRIC Hearing Aid that Redefines Device Design to Introduce New Angles of Natural Hearing

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Feb 08, 2024, 08:33 ET

The Widex SmartRIC hearing aid features a groundbreaking L-shaped design that places the microphones at an improved angle to enhance speech directionality and better align with the wearer's listening focus.

SmartRIC is the company's longest-lasting rechargeable receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid, providing up to 37 hours on a single charge.

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Feb. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Furthering its goal of delivering the perfection of natural sound, Widex today launched the Widex SmartRIC, a device that introduces new angles of natural hearing through an innovative L-shaped design that improves microphone angles to enhance hearing across every listening environment.

According to Widex Vice President of Marketing Alan Raffauf, the new SmartRIC reflects Widex' commitment to deliver pure, undistorted, natural sound for every wearer in every situation. By placing the microphones at an improved angle, the device enables wearers to experience the voices and sounds they want to hear, while minimizing distracting background sounds – helping them enjoy more of the world around them.

"Despite significant advances in hearing aid technology, hearing in noise is still the most commonly reported challenge for wearers," Raffauf said. "Widex SmartRIC addresses this by reimagining device design to elevate on the ear the hearing aid microphones, optimizing their directional focus on the sound sources that matter most. By rethinking the way sound is captured in a hearing aid, we're helping wearers enjoy a more engaged life, a life where they hear more naturally and feel more connected in any listening situation."

By placing the SmartRIC higher up on the ear, the angle between the device's two microphones becomes closer to horizontal. This enables the directional microphone to align with what wearers are focusing on, resulting in an improved signal-to-noise ratio in even the most noisy environments. This enhancement is designed to help wearers better engage in every social situation and live their lives more fully.

Also, while Widex believes that in most situations natural sound is better than over-processed sound, it selectively applies directionality and noise reduction in specific noisy situations where wearers need support.

In addition to the L-shaped angle, Widex has made several other design enhancements to craft an elegant and seamless device that lets wearers enjoy the freedom of not having to think about their hearing aids when they are on the go.

On the go with more than one week off the grid

Widex SmartRIC features newly designed microphone inlets that effectively reduce wind and touch noise, often a significant nuisance for hearing aid wearers. Plus, SmartRIC is the company's longest-lasting rechargeable RIC hearing aid, providing up to 37 hours on a single charge.

In addition, wearers on the move will benefit from the included fast-charging case — Widex' first-ever portable charging solution. The sleek, compact case can fully charge the hearing aids in four hours, or add eight hours of continuous use through a 30-minute fast charge. The case offers five full charges and fits right into a pocket or small bag, empowering wearers with hassle-free charging, more than one week off the grid, mobility, and peace of mind.

Widex SmartRIC is built upon the company's PureSound™ with ZeroDelay™ technology platform that has set new industry standards for natural hearing. PureSound with ZeroDelay delivers the fastest sound processing in a digital hearing aid to eliminate the tinny, artificial sound commonly associated with other hearing aids – creating a more natural, true-to-life listening experience for wearers.

The SmartRIC will be available for purchase this month in five premium color options, providing wearers with a powerful new device for experiencing natural sound.

To learn more about the new Widex SmartRIC, click here. For high-res images, click here.

About Widex

At Widex we believe in a world where there are no barriers to communication; a world where people interact freely, effortlessly, and confidently. With sixty years' experience developing state-of-the-art technology, we provide hearing solutions that are easy to use, seamlessly integrated in daily life and enable people to hear naturally. As one of the world's leading hearing aid producers, our products are sold in more than one hundred countries, and we employ 4,000 people worldwide.

Media Contact:
Dan Griffin
Griffin360
[email protected]
212.481.3456

SOURCE Widex