Published:
Unique Hearing Aid Receives Patent Protection
SHELTON, Conn., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Vivatone(R) Hearing Systems
received a U.S. patent today on its revolutionary new open-ear hearing device.
Hearing aids traditionally have been bulky devices that plugged up the ear
canal, causing a person's voice to sound like they are in a barrel when
speaking. Vivatone(R) revolutionized the hearing aid industry in April, 2004
with the introduction of its open-ear hearing aid. Vivatone(R)'s small
microphone and digital sound processor fit comfortably behind the ear and
connect to the miniature speaker in the center of the person's ear canal.
Because the Vivatone(R) hearing aid leaves the ear canal open, natural
sound continues to flow into the ear around the speaker. In addition to the
hearing enhancement provided by the digital sound processor, the wearer enjoys
the natural sound of their residual hearing. The tiny device is cosmetically
appealing and on most people it's almost invisible.
Vivatone(R)'s chairman, Leon C. Hirsch, stated that, "The acceptance of
this totally new concept was remarkable. Vivatone(R) was the first company to
introduce an open fit, receiver-in-the-ear hearing aid system and patent its
development. Subsequently, other companies recognized the value of
receiver-in-the-ear and copied Vivatone(R)'s invention. It is gratifying to
know that after more than two years of other companies copying Vivatone(R)
products, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has validated Vivatone(R)'s
claims for patent protection on its unique product line."
The growth potential in the hearing aid market is significant. Ten percent
of the population of the industrialized world suffers from some form of
impairment that can be helped by hearing aids. Despite the potential benefit
to these sufferers, 80% of these potential users do not wear hearing aids.
Even with only 20% penetration inthe United States, annual hearing aid sales
are in the billions.
Vivatone(R) markets a full line of speaker-in-the-ear, open-ear products
for sale in the U.S., and throughout the world. In addition to its
newly-issued U.S. patent, the company has patent protection inJapan and has
been notified that a European patent will issue shortly.
SOURCE Vivatone(R) Hearing Systems
Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze,
Daily NewsTags: ,HEA,MTC,PDT,TRI,CT-Vivatone-patent
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