Harmony HiResolution Bionic Ear System gets FDA nod
Nice to see the future, as it looked in the 1970s, finally wrapping its hemp-crocheted arms around us. No, we're not talking jet packs and meals in a pill (though we'd like to be) we're throwin' more bionics at ya instead. The Harmony HiResolution Bionic Ear System from Boston Scientific just got the FDA's good house keeping seal of approval in addition to gaining a nod from Health Canada and the CE mark in Europe. The Harmony System, which combines a cochlear implant and behind-the-ear (BTE) device, delivers 120 spectral bands -- 5-10 times more than competing systems -- to the benefit of the severe-to-profoundly deaf with a love for music. That's right, when the implant is combined with the HiRes Fidelity 120 BTE external sound processor, users will gain access to CD-quality processing to help 'em better appreciate music while the automatic gain control adjusts amplification for soft whispers and loud sounds without adjusting clumsy controls. Approved for adults only in the US and available for that sweet, sweet implant by early 2007.
[Via Medgadget]
