ADVISORY/ Attention Assignment Editors and Medical Reporters.

--(BW HealthWire)--

Smallest, Most Powerful Computer Chip Ever Used in a Hearing Aid

Powers Dramatic, Tiny New Digital Device to Be Introduced

to National Gathering of Audiologists

Powered by the smallest, most powerful computer chip ever fitted in a hearing aid, a breakthrough, tiny new digital hearing aid that processes sound at a rate of 50%-90% faster than traditional hearing aids will be unveiled at the Academy of Dispensing Audiologists (ADA) Annual Meeting in Monterey, Calif. on Wednesday, October 7th. Enabled by the power of the tiny computer chip, the new hearing aid--called Natura(TM)--will be able to be placed completely in the ear canal, nearly invisible to observers, for an estimated 80% of all hearing impaired individuals.

According to the Better Hearing Institute, hearing loss remains one of the major health concerns in the country, affecting more than 25 million Americans and often resulting in isolation and a less than satisfactory quality of life.

Developed by SONIC innovations, Natura can be personally configured by a hearing care professional to the unique hearing-loss requirements of the individual by using a 3Com PalmPilot. Natura processes sound at the same rate as normal hearing--allowing wearers to hear virtually at the speed of sound. Natura allows many users to regain a near complete hearing experience with a highly personalized aid that closely mimics the action of the inner ear. The new aid delivers an unprecedented level of customization by breaking the world of sound down into more than twice as many distinct bands as any other hearing aid on the market. The result: A natural hearing experience for the hearing impaired.

A Video News Release and B-Roll depicting the Natura hearing aid will be distributed on Wednesday, October 7th and Thursday, October 8th. Footage includes interviews with Natura users, whose quality of life have been significantly enhanced by the new aid, and Robert Sweetow, Ph.D., Director of Audiology, UCSF/Stanford Healthcare. An animation sequence depicting how the breakthrough technology processes sound is also available. -0-

     Footage will be available Wednesday and Thursday at the following
Satellite Coordinates:
FEED DATE:     Wednesday, October 7th, 1998
FEED TIME:     1:30PM-1:45PM Eastern
COORDINATES:   Ku-Band / SBS-6 / Transponder 5 / Audio 6.2 & 6.8
DOWNLINK FREQ: 11.823 MHz (Horizontal)
RE-FEED DATE:  Thursday, October 8th, 1998
RE-FEED TIME:  1:30PM-1:45PM Eastern
COORDINATES:   C-Band / Telstar 4 / Transponder 23 / Audio 6.2 & 6.8
DOWNLINK FREQ: 4160 MHz (Vertical)

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For more information and/or a beta version of the VNR (including script) and B-Roll, please call: Ed Harrison or Lauren Arnold, Schwartz Communications, 781/684-0770, [e-mail] or [e-mail].