Cochlear and GN Expand R&D Partnership for Integrated Hearing Solutions

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA and COPENHAGEN, DENMARK — Cochlear and GN, the innovation leaders in hearing technology, have expanded their research and development (R&D) partnership within the Smart Hearing Alliance, originally established in 2015. This enhanced collaboration builds on a decade-long successful partnership. The aim is to further strengthen R&D across the two world-class companies to deliver cutting-edge integrated hearing solutions for users of cochlear implants and hearing aids.

The expanded agreement focuses on joint research and development efforts, technology sharing, and strengthening collaboration to bring products to customers. This initiative will further enhance both companies' presence in the global clinical hearing care markets. The strengthened collaboration will improve future bimodal offerings from the two companies, directly benefitting users to achieve even better connectivity not only between hearing devices—but also to consumer technology, such as hand-held devices, phones, PCs, and much more.

By leveraging combined R&D investments, Cochlear and GN will work together to create innovative technologies, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and Deep Neural Networks (DNN) to help support seamless integration between devices. This is built on GN's distinctive human approach to AI, which models the brain's natural sound processing capability to create voice clarity in complex listening environments. The partnership will also help empower clinicians to deliver an exceptional hearing experience to their patients.

GN Chief R&D Officer, Christoph Schmid, stated, “We have a proven track-record of collaborating successfully with Cochlear. Expanding this partnership allows us to innovate more than we otherwise could individually. This will benefit millions with hearing loss globally, making advanced technology more accessible through integrated solutions.”

Cochlear Chief Technology Officer, Jan Janssen added, “By expanding our collaboration with GN, we can accelerate the delivery of the latest in AI and Deep Neural Networks, as well as connectivity and wireless technology to our implant recipients, providing superior performance for bimodal users.”

To help people get the most out of their hearing in everyday moments, the Smart Hearing Alliance collaboration has introduced bimodal control in the Nucleus^® Smart App. Bimodal control is designed to help patients quickly and easily manage their compatible ReSound™ hearing aid and compatible Cochlear Sound Processor in the same app.

The Smart Hearing Alliance delivers bimodal solutions connecting Cochlear Nucleus cochlear implants, wireless accessories, and ReSound hearing aids.