Lyratone Technologies: Successful Development of Bone Conduction Hearing Aids with Original Technology

Introduction

Lyratone Technologies has successfully developed bone conduction hearing aids using original technology, marking a significant achievement in domestic substitution. This breakthrough is part of the company's ongoing efforts to innovate and provide advanced solutions for hearing loss.

Market Trends

In recent years, the demand for hearing aids has shown robust growth, primarily driven by population aging and increased awareness of hearing loss. With the global elderly population on the rise, especially in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, the need for hearing aids has significantly increased. Technological advancements have also been a key factor in market growth. The application of artificial intelligence and new software-defined technologies has enhanced the performance and functionality of hearing devices, such as noise reduction, Bluetooth connectivity, and user customization. These improvements have made more consumers willing to purchase such products. Younger users and adults exposed to workplace noise are also important groups driving market growth.

Types of Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are mainly divided into two categories: air conduction hearing aids and bone conduction hearing aids, which transmit sound to the inner ear through different methods to assist individuals with hearing loss.

1. Air Conduction Hearing Aids (AC HAs)

- AC HAs are the most common type of hearing aid. They capture external sounds through a microphone, amplify the sound signals, and transmit them through the ear canal to the middle and inner ear.

- Suitable for patients with normal outer and middle ear function but issues with the inner ear (e.g., cochlea).

- Available in various styles such as in-the-ear (ITE), behind-the-ear (BTE), and invisible-in-canal (IIC) models, catering to different wearing preferences.

2. Bone Conduction Hearing Aids (BC HAs)

- BC HAs transmit sound directly to the inner ear via skull vibrations, bypassing the outer and middle ear.

- Suitable for individuals with structural problems in the outer or middle ear, such as atresia or perforated eardrums.

- Both types of hearing aids have their advantages, and the choice depends on the patient's type of hearing loss and lifestyle needs. Notably, the use of BC HAs has become more widespread, even among those without outer or middle ear issues, as it allows users to keep their ear canals open while still hearing external sounds. This is also why bone conduction headphones have gained popularity recently.

Features of Bone Conduction Hearing Aids

Bone conduction hearing involves transmitting sound to the inner ear through the skull rather than through the ear canal and eardrum. This method uses bone vibrations to convey sound, bypassing the outer and middle ear. Key advantages include:

1. Bypassing Outer and Middle Ear: Bone conduction helps restore partial hearing for individuals with issues like blocked ear canals, outer ear inflammation, or damaged eardrums.

2. Open Ear Canal: Since bone conduction does not require sound transmission through the ear canal, the ears remain open, eliminating the need for in-ear components and preventing ear canal diseases associated with prolonged wear of traditional in-ear hearing aids.

Technical Challenges

Compared to air conduction hearing aids, bone conduction hearing aids present higher technical challenges, particularly in sound quality and hearing assistance functions:

1. Sound Quality: Bone conduction sound quality generally lags behind air conduction. Sound transmitted through skin contact to the skull often results in high-frequency loss, affecting clarity. Design flaws in some transducers and structures further reduce frequency bandwidth, complicating algorithm tuning.

2. Feedback (Whistling): BC HAs are more prone to feedback due to their open acoustic architecture and vibration transmission from the speaker to the microphone. This requires high compatibility between the hearing algorithms and chip hardware.

3. Volume: Bone conduction technology typically produces lower volume levels, especially in noisy environments where sound clarity may be compromised.

4. Bluetooth: Most current bone conduction products lack Bluetooth functionality.

Product Innovation

In the hearing aid industry, almost all bone conduction hearing aids use dedicated ASIC-type hearing chips, such as those from ON Semiconductor. ASICs are integrated circuits designed and manufactured for specific functions, customized for particular applications like smartphones and network devices. However, these ASIC hearing chips face challenges:

1. Design Limitations: Current ASIC hearing chips are designed for air conduction, not bone conduction. Supporting bone conduction's unique acoustic structure, such as feedback suppression, poses significant challenges.

2. Bluetooth Support: These chips do not support classic Bluetooth. To add this feature, an external Bluetooth chip must be used, lacking digital interfaces for direct digital audio transmission and making programming adjustments difficult.

In contrast, Lyratone Technologies has pioneered Software-Defined Hearing (SDH) architecture in the global hearing aid industry. SDH transforms hearing functions into software, enabling greater flexibility in hardware adaptation, performance improvement, open integration, and cost-effectiveness. Bone conduction hearing aids are a prime example of this innovation.

The LyraOS bone conduction hearing solution developed by Lyratone Technologies based on the SDH framework features:

1. High-Quality Sound: Compensation for low and high frequencies to achieve superior sound quality.

2. Effective Feedback Suppression: Optimized algorithms for sound feedback in bone conduction structures.

3. High Gain: Deep integration with bone conduction transducers for enhanced amplification.

4. Bluetooth Functionality: Utilizing Bluetooth 5.4 technology for comprehensive Bluetooth audio assistance and configuration.

5. Advanced SoC Chip: Equipped with the highest-performance 12nm SoC chip in the hearing aid industry.

This year, Lyratone Technologies has completed the development and delivery of multiple bone conduction hearing aid solutions.

About Lyratone Technologies

Lyratone Technologies is a comprehensive hearing aid solution provider, offering full-stack solutions including hearing algorithms and various hearing aid devices. Leveraging software-defined auditory technology, the company has successfully developed various medical-grade hearing aids to meet diverse needs. These solutions cover both air conduction and bone conduction hearing aids, including traditional RIC, BTE models, fashionable TWS, and the latest OWS designs, providing comprehensive options for enterprise clients in the hearing aid industry.

Driven by the mission "Better Hearing for Better Life," Lyratone Technologies is committed to advancing industry innovation through its next-generation "Software-Defined Hearing" engine. This initiative aims to deliver high-quality products and services, enabling millions of hearing-impaired individuals to enjoy better sound quality and reconnect with the world of sound.