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3D Printed Hearing Aid Almost Invisible When Worn

September 5, 2018

Switzerland-based Sonova Holding AG, provider of Phonak hearing aids, has scored a first with its award-winning Virto B-Titanium hearing aid. The device is the smallest and most discreet hearing aid Sonovahas ever produced and, according to the company, the world’s first mainstream custom titanium hearing aid.

The titanium shells are half as thin, yet 15 times stronger than traditional shells, meaning the hearing aid can be placed even deeper in the canal, resulting in a virtually invisible fit. It is powered by Phonak’s AutoSense operating system, which analyzes incoming sounds in real-time and automatically activates a blend of settings, programs and features. These attributes reportedly result in a seamless, more natural hearing experience.

Senior manager at Phonak, Leo den Hartog, says that 3D printing, more specifically selective laser melting, is “the optimal technology” for the device. “It allows us to make the hearing aids out of medical-grade titanium, and make them available to the broader market.” The Phonak brand also uses 3D selective laser sintering for its acrylic hearing-aid shells.

Technologies: Applications, Metal Powders, Powder-Bed Systems

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