ABOUT THE SOUND BITE

SoundBite hearing system is the world’s first and only non-surgical and removable hearing solution designed to imperceptibly transmit sound via the teeth to help people who are essentially deaf in one ear regain spatial hearing ability and rejoin the conversation of life.

It employs a well-established principle called bone conduction to deliver clear, high quality sound to the inner ear. Nearly invisible when worn, the SoundBite system consists of an easy to insert and remove ITM (in-the-mouth) hearing device – which is custom made to fit around either the upper left or right back teeth – and a small microphone unit worn behind the ear. No modifications to the teeth are required.

TECHNOLOGY

The Science of Bone Conduction

SoundBite is different than conventional hearing aids, which employ air conduction to simply turn up the volume of sound traveling into the ear. As a bone conduction device, SoundBite hearing system does not require a functional middle or outer ear to deliver sound. SoundBite hearing system is designed to allow sound to travel via the teeth, through the bones, to both cochleae, bypassing the middle and outer ear entirely. By using bone conduction via the teeth, SoundBite is intended to restore normal hearing to patients with single sided deafness, conductive, or mixed hearing loss, all without surgery.

Non-surgical, Wireless Sound Transmission Via the Teeth – How it Works

Merging the well-known principles of bone conduction together with advanced wireless and sound processing technology, SoundBite is the world’s first non-surgical and removable bone conduction hearing system designed to transmit sound via the teeth. The SoundBite hearing system consists of both a BTE (behind the ear) microphone unit, housing the receiver, wireless transmitter, and attached microphone, and a discreet, removable ITM (in the mouth) hearing device. An inductive charger unit is provided to charge the BTE microphone unit and ITM hearing device.

SoundBite is designed to detect sound using a tiny microphone placed in an open-fit dome within the ear canal of the impaired ear. This nearly invisible microphone is attached by a thin tube to a transmitter unit called a BTE worn behind the ear. Placing the microphone in the ear canal is intended to allow the SoundBite hearing system to capitalize on the natural acoustic benefit provided by the patient’s own pinna or outer ear to capture and direct sound.

Once sound is captured by the microphone, it is processed by the BTE digital audio device. The BTE wirelessly transmits sound to the removable ITM (in the mouth) hearing device, which is custom made for your own teeth for optimal comfort and function. The ITM hearing device in turn uses advanced technology to produce imperceptible sound vibrations that are conducted via the teeth, through bone, to the both cochleae. In this way, the SoundBite hearing system is intended to provide clear, high fidelity sound and thus restore normal hearing to patients who are essentially deaf in one ear with no surgery or modifications to the teeth required.

SoundBite hearing system is intended for patients who suffer from single sided deafness, conductive hearing loss, or mixed hearing loss and seek a non-surgical, non-invasive, hearing device that delivers high fidelity sound. If you would like more information about key features of this innovative technology, contact Sonitus Medical online.

ITM hearing device inserted in the mouth