Oticon Medical announced today that it has obtained 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market the powerful new Ponto 3 Bone Anchored Sound Processor family. Ponto 3 is the world’s most powerful family of abutment-level sound processors with a fitting range down to 65 dB HL (BC). Combining the highest output ever for an abutment-level processor and the widest frequency bandwidth in the industry with new innovative features, Ponto 3 redefines power and outcomes in the bone anchored hearing solution category.

“By extending the Ponto 3 fitting range to 65 dB HL, even more patients with conductive and mixed hearing loss and single-sided deafness can benefit from the high-quality sound that is a hallmark of Oticon Medical implantable hearing solutions,” says Jes Olsen, President of Oticon Medical. “The new Inium Sense platform and UltraDrive™ deliver the output, the bandwidth and the clarity that Ponto 3 SuperPower users need to experience powerful sound quality that makes listening easy in everyday sound environments. This means that the many patients who now wear a less powerful device will be able to benefit, for the first time ever, from significantly increased output while enjoying the discreet cosmetics of our traditional power devices.”

Power the brain

With a hearing loss, the brain has to work hard to process sound signals, especially in noisy situations. Oticon Medical now introduces BrainHearing™ for bone anchored hearing systems in new Ponto 3. BrainHearing™ is about a fundamental understanding of how hearing works and how the brain makes sense of sound. The powerful Inium Sense platform and Direct Sound Transmission work together to enable BrainHearing™ and provide the audibility and signal processing that support the brain’s cognitive processes.

Enhanced signal processing power

Ponto 3 sound processors use the innovative adaptive FreeFocus directionality feature to help the brain focus while continuing to orient and separate sounds as users move from one environment to another. A typical user spends 70 percent of time in the unique Speech Omni/Focused directional mode where Ponto 3 delivers 15 percent better speech understanding.

A real breakthrough in power

The Ponto 3 family offers the industry’s widest bandwidth and the highest output from an abutment-level processor. Higher output across the entire bandwidth significantly expands the range of sounds users can access, keeping loud sounds loud and soft sounds audible while maintaining important details of sound for a broader listening experience.

Powered by the UltraDrive™ technology that boosts the drive signal to the transducer, Ponto 3 SuperPower is the first abutment-level sound processor to deliver the output and amplification, previously possible only in larger and most often, body-worn devices. “Through an appealing combination of performance and cosmetics, the Ponto 3 SuperPower represents an important breakthrough,” explains Olsen. “It will be a welcome revelation to all patients who need more power.”

More options for users

Oticon Medical is the first to introduce the new manufacturer-independent DSL-BC fitting rationale, custom tailored for bone anchored hearing solutions. Based on research made by the iRSM group at the Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton and the University of Western Ontario, the well-recognized DSL fitting rationale has been specifically adapted in versions to address the needs of adult and pediatric bone-anchored users.

For more information on Oticon Medical and the new Ponto 3 sound processor family, visit http://www.oticonmedical.com/Ponto-3- announcement.