Annual Report 2010/11 - Sonova

8
TYPES OF HEARING LOSS
In a healthy ear sound is received in the outer ear by the
pinna and conducted into the ear canal. The sound waves
cause the ear drum to vibrate. These vibrations are amplified
twenty times by three tiny bones in the middle ear –
the malleus, incus and stapes – and transmitted to the opening
of the cochlea (inner ear). This sets the fluid inside
the cochlea in motion. The waves produced stimulate the
approximately 3,500 outer and 10,000 inner hair cells
and are transformed by these into electric signals. These
signals are sent by the auditory nerve to the brain’s
hearing center, where they are decoded and interpreted
as sound.
Various adverse effects on this process can result in hearing
impairment. The cause of hearing loss may lie in the outer,
middle, or inner ear; in the auditory nerve; or in the brain.
Possible causes include exposure of the ear to very loud
sounds (e. g. acoustic trauma or noise), poisoning, infectious
diseases, injuries to the ear, or hereditary diseases.
Age-related hearing impairment (presbycusis) is the most
frequent cause of hearing loss. Hearing begins to decrease
gradually once a person reaches age 30. It is primarily
the hair cells, which are important for high-frequency sounds
and thus for speech intelligibility, that degenerate with
increasing age. More than 50% of people over the age of 70
are hard of hearing.
Cochlear implants
Cochlear implants are a medical solution for sensorineural
hearing loss ranging from severe hearing impairment to
complete deafness. They electrically stimulate the auditory
nerve. Sonova develops and distributes cochlear implants
under the Advanced Bionics brand.
Direct acoustic cochlear stimulation (DACS)
The DACS middle ear implant is suitable for mixed and moderate
to severe hearing loss. Phonak Acoustic Implants is
developing a middle ear implant that can directly stimulate
an intact cochlea by mechanical means.
Hearing protection
More and more people need some type of hearing protection
– either standard models or a customized solution –
in the professional domain that will ensure that their hearing
is protected in noisy work environments. Sonova manufactures
and markets hearing protection solutions under
the Phonak Communications brand.
Communication and FM solutions
Wireless communication and FM solutions are today utilized
in many different ways: for better acoustics in theaters,
to facilitate better understanding in school environments
and meeting rooms, or for communication across greater
distances. People with or without hearing loss can benefit
from FM solutions that transmit speech directly to the ear
by radio waves and block out background noise. Phonak
Communications serves this market with a broad range of
solutions.
ACHIEVING SUCCESS THROUGH WELL-DEFINED
CORE COMPETENCIES
Sonova stands for innovative hearing care solutions. With
more than 60 years of experience in hearing technology
and the most comprehensive product portfolio in the business,
the Sonova Group is extremely well positioned to
continue to expand its leading role and to profit to an even
greater degree from the trends in this growth industry.
Innovation, a strong global presence and a clear customer
focus are the main pillars of Sonova’s sustainable growth
strategy. Strong core competencies form the foundation for
the current and future success of the Sonova Group and
its brands. A strong research and development program,
leading-edge production facilities, innovative marketing,