Cleveland, OH. Oticon Inc., developer of a recently-introduced digital hearing instrument called DigiFocus™, presented a forum here today at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Audiologists and researchers reported results of field testing by U.S. patients using DigiFocus.

Rreports and case studies presented at the forum underscored the flexibility of the individualized programming and the quality of the digital sound as potential benefits for a broad range of hearing impaired individuals.

“Every person has a unique hearing loss fingerprint,” explained Craig Newman, Ph.D., Head, Section of Audiology at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. “Until now, conventional analog-based hearing instruments allowed sound manipulation in only two to three hearing bands. Digital signal manipulation enables us to adjust sound in seven bands and more than 100 software-controlled parameters. As a result, we can adjust the computer precisely to compensate for the individual’s hearing loss.”

The DigiFocus digital audio processor has computing power amounting to 14 million instructions per second. It automatically adjusts to changing sound environments, improving a user’s ability to hear speech clearly in settings that are traditionally challenging for individuals with hearing loss, such as restaurants and cars.

“To a properly fitted individual, the introduction of the technology can be compared to the transition from a simple radio with only bass and treble controls to the sophistication of a fully digitized recording studio with its ability to adjust sound frequencies in a myriad of ways to achieve listening pleasure,” noted Peter Mark, M.D., of Oticon.

Researchers Johan Hellgren and Thomas Lunner of Linkoping University in Sweden, an internationally recognized leader in hearing research, shared results of a recently completed study of 33 satisfied users of conventional analog hearing aids who were fitted with the new DigiFocus. The study showed that 80 percent preferred the digital hearing aid over their own instruments.

Cupertino, CA. Audio Highway announced today that it entered into a manufacturing agreement with with KIA of South Korea and Sycom Technologies of Ewing, NJ. KIA will make all hardware components of the Listen Up™ portable web audio system announced last week by Audio Highway. Sycom will assist in the final design and release of the Listen Up Player.

“Given their vast resources, we’re extremely pleased to be working with KIA and Sycom,” said Nathan Schulhof, Audio Highway President and CEO. “Sycom’s strength in the portable audio device market, coupled with KIA’s a vast resources in the consumer related products market, as well as being a major manufacturer of automobiles, makes this an unbeatable relationship.”

Under terms of the agreement, Audio Highway’s Listen Up Players will be available at more than 3,000 locations throughout North America, when the system is released in January 1997. Locations will include consumer electronics stores, computer dealers, office product outlets, specialty retailers and other retail superstores. Audio Highway will also sell the player direct to consumers at a suggested retail price of $299 through a toll free sales line.

Calgary, Canada. QSound Labs and consumer electronics manufacturer Go-Video have signed a licensing deal that will allow Go-Video to incorporate QSound’s simulated-3D audio technology in its home theatre and high-end digital TV products.

“Combining QSound’s patented 3D audio technology with Go-Video’s flair for product development and marketing seemed a perfect match,” said Roger B. Hackett, Chairman and CEO of Go-Video. “Their professional studio experience provides us with an opportunity to enter the audio market with high-performance niche products, which are always very attractive to our retail customers.”

The first product to take advantage of the deal will likely be a new entry in Go-Video’s successful line of Dual-Deck™ videocassette recorders.