Oticon Real made a big noise in the hearing aid domain, mainly for the revolutionary concept of deep neural network sound processing. Is Oticon Intent a little bit better than Oticon Real, or it is another breakthrough in the the domain of hearing aids technology?
Continue reading to learn more about Oticon Intent hearing aids.
A patient being tested in brain response - Oticon lab
The background of Oticon technology
Oticon is one of the leading hearing aid companies in the world. Oticon hearing aids are famous for better high-frequency sound than others, thanks to their amplifier-receiver frequency response. But more importantly, their sound processing philosophy works based on deep neural networks (DNN) which was introduced in 2021 (see below). The DNN has been the focus and the flagship in setting them aside from other hearing aid companies.
Oticon technology roadmap
What are the major technological improvements from Oticon Real to Oticon Intent?
In my opinion, these are the major technological improvements from Oticon Real to Oticon Intent:
The addition of a 4D (4 dimensional) motion and directional sensors allows Oticon Intent to read and learn the head and body movement and include these cues for understanding speech better. Oticon Real has no 4D sensor and in my experience, the directionality of Oticon Real is not superior to other premium hearing aids such as Signia Pure or Resound Omnia.
Oticon Intent has widened the frequency response than Oticon Real, from 80 Hz to 10 kHz. This means a wider range of amplification in the low and high-frequency range that technically gives a richer sound experience.
The upgrade of the heart of the sound processing of the hearing aid the Sirius processing unit as well as an upgrade to DNN 1 in Oticon Real to DNN 2 in Oticon Intent. delivers better sound quality, clearer speech, and more efficient noise suppression through:
Greater diversity of sound samples, where most are challenging and complex
Improved preservation of the original sound, resulting in less loss of cues for both speech and noise
Suppression of unwanted sounds by up to 12 dB in complex environments – 2 dB more than previously
New MoreSound Intelligence and a new MoreSound Amplifier 3.0 provide a lower base noise, better dynamic range and better high-frequency response in Oticon Intent versus Oticon Real. I believe that this feature allows Oticon Intent to compete with Starkey Genesis in terms of dynamic range and frequency response. Please see the below graph.
Oticon Real already had one of the best feedback-control algorithms, but Oticon Intent uses an even smarter algorithm for feedback control that has less effect on sound quality and compromises less on speech understanding.
Again, I tried Oticon Real and the wind cancellation and sudden sound control are some of the best in the market, but it seems the Oticon Intent takes it to the next level. Please see this article on the best hearing aids for golfers.
Unlike Oticon Real, the Oticon Intent is Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast ready. Amazing feature for music and concern lovers!
Oticon Intent has a wider frequency response compared to Oticon Real
What are the major improvements for the user from Oticon Real to Oticon Intent?
Let me put it in plain English, Oticon Intent has elevated technology and additional motion sensors to consider acoustic environment, body movement, head movement and conversation activity to improve your speech understanding in noisy and complex soundscapes.
In comparison, Oticon Intent provides a 1 to 5 dB increase in SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) compared to Oticon Real, which means that you'll be able to hear and understand speech 5 dB better with Oticon Intent versus Oticon Real. This increase in SNR is situational and can change in different intention scenarios. Please refer to the Oticon Intent Clinical Study and the reference provided at the bottom of this report.
Improved SNR response using 4D sensor in Oticon Intent
An increase in SNR coupled with the 4D feature of Oticon Intent brings in the list of the benefits that you can expect from loads of new technologies in Oticon Intent versus Oticon Real:
35% more access to speech cues
10% better sound quality
13% better nuance in the sound scene
10 higher listening comfort
15% better speech comprehension
Watch this video to learn about the highlights of Oticon Intent hearing aids.
Highlights of Oticon Intent
Other practical features of Oticon Intent include:
A 1-hour charge is enough for a full charge
Size 13 battery means 33% more charge on the go versus Oticon Real
smaller than any other Oticon hearing aid before
Oticon Intent comes in the desktop version only with a contact base charging technique
Telecoil enabled
Is the improvement of speech understanding of Oticon Intent clinically proven?
Yes, as an audiologist I am impressed by the amount of clinical work done on Oticon Intent to make the claims in improved speech understanding and other specifications of this hearing aid evidence-based. In particular, there is a substantial amount of research and evidence-based work presented as part of the product launch in using spatial and body motion cues to support the algorithms. Please see the two white papers presented in the references at the bottom of this report.
The impact of the 4D sensor in Oticon Intent
Comparison in speech understanding between Oticon Intent and Oticon Real
How better is Oticon Intent in speech understanding versus Oticon Real?
As demonstrated in the below graph, the addition of the 4D spatial cues has had a big impact on the ability of Oticon Intent to perform better in the speech intelligibility index compared to Oticon Real.
Improved Speech Intelligibility Index in Oticon Intent versus Oticon Real
Is the deep neural network (DNN) processing of Oticon Intent the same as Oticon Real?
The answer is no. The Oticon Intent has an upgraded DNN 2.0 processor versus the processor in Oticon Real which uses DNN 1.0 version. The DNN processor's performance in reconstructing the speech is demonstrated in the below image.
As you can see below the DNN 2.0 used in Oticon Intent, the right-hand side image labelled B has better clarity and less noise versus the speech pattern made using DNN 1.0 in the images labelled A processed by DNN 1.0 in Oticon Real.
Comparison of speech spectrum resolution in Oticon Intent versus Oticon Real
What are the Oticon Intent technology levels?
The Oticon Intent comes in 4 technology levels. Oticon Intent 1, 2, 3 and 4. The technology level 1 is the highest tech level of the hearing aid. In this section, I will elaborate on the highlights so hopefully, it could help you choose the right technology level for the hearing aid.
4D speech Intent enhancer - The motion sensor package is only available in Oticon Intent technology 1 and 2 (see the following comparison tables). That is the layer of sophistication that brings all the 4 dimensional (4D) benefits of speech intent. So if speech understanding is what you are after, my advice is that you should only consider Oticon Intent 1 or 2.
Intent-based spatial balance - This feature has the most capability in tough hearing environments only in technology level 1.
Neural noise suppression - The neural noise suppression of Oticon INtent is up to 12 dB for technology level 1 and drops from there in lower tech levels. If your biggest challenge is in speech understanding in a noisy environment or your work environment is loud and noisy then my advice is to choose Oticon Intent 1 or Oticon Intent 2.
Sound Enhancer - Again, for the best performance and use of the deep neural network in understanding speech best to consider the Oticon Intent 1 or at least Oticon Intent 2 tech level.
Wind cancelling - The good news for those who spend a lot of time in environments with a lot of wind noise (such as those playing golf regularly, or those working in open space), is that all tech levels of Oticon Intend have the wind and sudden noise cancellation.
Table 1 - Oticon Intent tech levels
When it comes to the sound quality of Oticon Intent you need to consider that the Clear Dynamic is only available in Oticon Intent 1 and 2. Also, only Oticon INtent 1 has an extended fitting bandwidth of up to 10 kHz. In addition, the number of fitting channels of Oticon Intent drops from 24 in tech level 1 to only 14 in Oticon Intent 4. Please see Table 2.
Table 2 - Oticon Intent tech levels
I am relieved to see that the connectivity features of Oticon Intent are pretty much the same among all tech levels. These connectivity features include:
Bluetooth LE Audio
Auracast ready
Handsfree and tap control on iPhone 11 and higher devices and for the latest Android devices including Galaxy 23+ and Google Pixel 8+ and any other handset that is LE Audio Bluetooth compatible (note: tap control is only available on Oticon Intent 1, 2 and 3)
Table 3 - Oticon Intent tech levels
How good is Oticon Intent's battery life?
Unlike most premium rechargeable hearing aids that take 312 batteries, Oticon Intent uses size 13 batteries. A bigger battery gives more confidence to those who are a bit concerned about the rechargeable battery life. In my experience depending on the usage and ambient temperature of your location, I see patients may get into trouble with rechargeable hearing aids at years 4 and 5.
The other unique feature of Oticon Intent is its fast speech charge. A 15-minute charge gives you about 4 hours of run time. That means even if you forgot putting them on the charger unit they can give you 4 hours of run time if you charge them over your breakfast.
Charging times - Oticon Intent
What are the fitting options of Oticon Intent?
Oticon Intent has its own designed receiver that is more comfortable for the patient and has 8 wires instead of 4 in the case of Oticon Real. Nevertheless, the fitting options of Oticon Intent are very similar to Oticon Real. The receiver unit (or Speaker unit) comes in 60, 85, 100 and 105 dB power. The 105 dB receiver is fitted inside a custom-made microshell earpiece and is intended for people with Severe to profound hearing loss.
I have fitted patients with sloping Severe hearing loss with a 100 dB receiver and power dome, but the optimum acoustics performance can only be achieved with microshell fitting especially if your hearing loss is Severe to Profound.
Receiver Strength, Oticon Intent
Oticon GripTip can be fitted to Oticon Intent receivers for better retention. Lite Tip and Micromould need custom-made fitting. Please see the below table.
Earwax filter for mould fitting, Oticon Intent
Please note that custom-made microshells for Oticon Intent can come in different colours.
Microshell colour range, Oticon Intent
In February 2024, Oticon also announced that for optimum patient comfort a range of OtoTherm LiteTip and Micro mould will be released soon. The product will be made of a material that is hard at room temperature becomes flexible and conforms to the shape of the ear canal at body temperature when placed in the ear canal.
OtoTherm moulds, Oticon Intent and Oticon Real
Do the Oticon Intent come in the IIC and the CIC invisible models?
The Oticon's latest technology for invisible IIC and CIC hearing aids is called Oticon Own. Please read more about IIC and CIC custom-made hearing aids and early-click rechargeable CIC hearing aids here.
What is the price range of Oticon Intent hearing aids?
Like other consumable products, the Oticon Intent can have a price range from £2,000 to £6,000 per pair and it widely depends on where you purchase them, the warranty period and the aftercare services. Please see the lowest prices of Oticon Intent and Oticon Real here.
I have a pair of Oticon Intent hearing aids, how do I insure my hearing aids?
Please see this link for more guidance on hearing aid insurance.
Where can I replace the rechargeable batteries of Oticon hearing aids?
For service, repair, replacement of the Oticon rechargeable batteries or reprogramming of Oticon hearing aids please use the HearingNow service page.
Conclusion
In my professional experience, Oticon Intent has been closing a lot of gaps in Oticon Real and truly stepping up the game in the competition for better hearing in noisy environments. The size of the Oticon Intent is bigger than the Oticon Real and this may cause discomfort for those with medium or small size ears.
Please get in touch if you have a question about Oticon Intent that has not been addressed in this review.
Watch Dr Cliff's review on Oticon Intent below.
References:
4D Sensor technology and Deep Neural Network 2.0 in Oticon Inten, Oticon, 2024.
Higgins et al. (2023). Head movement and its relation to hearing.
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