Salt Lake City— Sonic Innovations, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNCI), the only U.S.-based publicly
traded manufacturer of digital hearing instruments, has released results of moisture
resistance testing on the company’s ion™ hearing devices. When placed in a salt fog
chamber, Sonic Innovations’ ion products have outperformed four major competitors in
resisting moisture. In a test conducted at Sonic Innovations’ Salt Lake City corporate
headquarters using an industry- standard protocol (known as ASTM Standard B117-03),
the ion products lasted more than twice as long as the nearest competitor.
The testing was headed by Sonic Innovations Vice President of Auditory Research and
Director of the Center for Amplification and Hearing Research Michael Nilsson, Ph.D.
Nilsson indicated that four different competitive off-the-shelf hearing aids that have been
marketed as moisture resistant and an ion product were tested in a salt fog chamber that
is typically used for accelerated environmental testing. In the test, the devices were
subjected to extreme conditions by being submerged in a distilled water fog containing 5
percent sodium chloride at a temperature of 95 degrees to simulate heavy perspiration
or sweat.
Nilsson said, “The products were checked once a day for performance failure. One of our
competitors’ devices failed when checked at 25 hours, and the other three failed when
checked at 42 hours. The ion actually lasted 96 hours before the salt solution caused
problems.”
“The extended performance in ion was due to several features specifically designed to
resist moisture: elastomeric seal to keep sweat out of the battery compartment,
hydrophobic membranes to protect the microphones, gold-plated battery contacts, and
ports to allow moisture and condensation a path to exit the device. ion was really
designed for active lifestyles and our tests prove ion is one of the best active lifestyle
products on the market today,” Nilsson added.
ABOUT SONIC INNOVATIONS:
Sonic Innovations is a global provider of superior hearing solutions. The company is
passionate about quality, technology, and improving lives through enhanced hearing.
Sonic Innovations is dedicated to the growth and success of their hearing-healthcare
partners.
Sonic Innovations, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, has international offices and
manufacturing centers across the globe. In conjunction with their distributor partners,
Sonic Innovations has provided hearing care services and solutions in more than 25
countries. Sonic Innovations is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market System (SNCI) and
can be found online at www.sonici.com.
Sonic Innovations’ partners have prescribed more than 1 million Sonic hearing
instruments.
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” as defined under securities
laws. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from those described herein
depending on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the following risks: we face
aggressive competition in our business; other independent testing may not yield the
same or comparable results; acquisitions could be difficult to integrate and disrupt our
current business and therefore may harm our operating results; we may not launch more
product lines this year; our products may not help people hear better or more naturally;
we may poorly operate newly acquired businesses; we may lose a large customer or
suffer a reduction in orders from a large customer; we must have innovative,
technologically superior products to compete effectively; our products, due to their
complexity, may contain errors or defects that are only discovered after sales by our
customers, thus harming our reputation and business; we may have issues with
intellectual property; and we have important international operations, which expose us to
a variety of risks including government reimbursement, that could impact sales and
operating results. For additional information regarding the risks inherent in our business,
please see “Factors That May Affect Future Performance” included in our Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
We undertake no obligation to revise our forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
traded manufacturer of digital hearing instruments, has released results of moisture
resistance testing on the company’s ion™ hearing devices. When placed in a salt fog
chamber, Sonic Innovations’ ion products have outperformed four major competitors in
resisting moisture. In a test conducted at Sonic Innovations’ Salt Lake City corporate
headquarters using an industry- standard protocol (known as ASTM Standard B117-03),
the ion products lasted more than twice as long as the nearest competitor.
The testing was headed by Sonic Innovations Vice President of Auditory Research and
Director of the Center for Amplification and Hearing Research Michael Nilsson, Ph.D.
Nilsson indicated that four different competitive off-the-shelf hearing aids that have been
marketed as moisture resistant and an ion product were tested in a salt fog chamber that
is typically used for accelerated environmental testing. In the test, the devices were
subjected to extreme conditions by being submerged in a distilled water fog containing 5
percent sodium chloride at a temperature of 95 degrees to simulate heavy perspiration
or sweat.
Nilsson said, “The products were checked once a day for performance failure. One of our
competitors’ devices failed when checked at 25 hours, and the other three failed when
checked at 42 hours. The ion actually lasted 96 hours before the salt solution caused
problems.”
“The extended performance in ion was due to several features specifically designed to
resist moisture: elastomeric seal to keep sweat out of the battery compartment,
hydrophobic membranes to protect the microphones, gold-plated battery contacts, and
ports to allow moisture and condensation a path to exit the device. ion was really
designed for active lifestyles and our tests prove ion is one of the best active lifestyle
products on the market today,” Nilsson added.
ABOUT SONIC INNOVATIONS:
Sonic Innovations is a global provider of superior hearing solutions. The company is
passionate about quality, technology, and improving lives through enhanced hearing.
Sonic Innovations is dedicated to the growth and success of their hearing-healthcare
partners.
Sonic Innovations, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, has international offices and
manufacturing centers across the globe. In conjunction with their distributor partners,
Sonic Innovations has provided hearing care services and solutions in more than 25
countries. Sonic Innovations is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market System (SNCI) and
can be found online at www.sonici.com.
Sonic Innovations’ partners have prescribed more than 1 million Sonic hearing
instruments.
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” as defined under securities
laws. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from those described herein
depending on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the following risks: we face
aggressive competition in our business; other independent testing may not yield the
same or comparable results; acquisitions could be difficult to integrate and disrupt our
current business and therefore may harm our operating results; we may not launch more
product lines this year; our products may not help people hear better or more naturally;
we may poorly operate newly acquired businesses; we may lose a large customer or
suffer a reduction in orders from a large customer; we must have innovative,
technologically superior products to compete effectively; our products, due to their
complexity, may contain errors or defects that are only discovered after sales by our
customers, thus harming our reputation and business; we may have issues with
intellectual property; and we have important international operations, which expose us to
a variety of risks including government reimbursement, that could impact sales and
operating results. For additional information regarding the risks inherent in our business,
please see “Factors That May Affect Future Performance” included in our Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
We undertake no obligation to revise our forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |