Question
I’ve noticed that Sonic Bliss100 and Flip100 have Hybrid Directionality. How does it work and what are the patient benefits?
Answer
We know that omni directional microphones pick up sound from all directions and directional microphones (regardless if they are fixed or adaptive) provide emphasis in the front. Hybrid directionality combines both an omni and directional response at the same time. The lower frequencies, below 1000 Hz, use an omni response and the frequencies above 1000 Hz uses a directional response. That’s why we call it Hybrid Directionality.
Hybrid Directionality is the directional system that most closely approximates the performance of a healthy, open ear canal. The goal is to preserve the manner in which low and high frequency sounds are naturally propagated through the auditory system, taking into consideration head shadow effects and the shape of the external ear.
Hybrid Directionality provides benefit in a variety of ways. By keeping low frequencies audible, important environmental cues remain perceptible, wind noise is decreased and audibility in reverberant environments is maintained. By allowing the mid and high frequencies – where speech content is prevalent – to adaptively change their polar pattern to best attenuate the noise, the listener can better focus on speech.
For more information on Hybrid Directionality, please visit http://www.sonici.com/ or the Sonic Expo Page on AudiologyOnline.
