Understanding Speech in Noise: Starkey Whitepaper Looks at a New Beginning for an Age-Old Problem

EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN — Being able to help patients with hearing loss understand speech in noisy environments is one of the main goals of a hearing aid. A common complaint of patients with hearing loss is that even with hearing aids, they have difficulty hearing in background noise. After five years in research and development, Starkey introduces Genesis AI, which features all-new groundbreaking technology that improves speech understanding in any challenging listening environment, such as a noisy restaurant. A new whitepaper highlights the research behind Genesis AI’s significant speech intelligibility benefit in noisy environments, which was found to improve speech understanding in noise by 30% compared to the unaided condition.

“We are thrilled with the extensive research findings, which specifically validate the effectiveness of our Genesis AI hearing aids in addressing the issue of speech understanding in noise,” said Dr. Sara Burdak, Chief Audiology Officer and Executive Vice President of Product Strategy at Starkey. “Our advanced digital noise reduction algorithm, in combination with directional microphones, provides patients with a superior listening experience, allowing them to better engage in conversations even in challenging listening environments.”

The Genesis AI noise reduction system was designed with the objective of providing patients with optimal audibility, speech clarity, and listening comfort. By continuously analyzing the auditory scene, the system intelligently adjusts the amount of noise reduction processing based on the listening environment—effectively making up to 80 million adjustments per hour. In noisy environments, the system prioritizes listening comfort and applies higher levels of noise reduction. When speech is introduced into the scene, the system finds a balance between reducing noise and maintaining speech audibility. This dynamic adjustment ensures that patients receive the appropriate balance of audibility, clarity, and comfort in different listening situations.

The research results highlight Starkey’s commitment to developing innovative solutions that improve the lives of individuals with hearing loss. Genesis AI represents a significant step forward in enhancing speech understanding in noise, delivering exceptional sound quality, and speech clarity.

To learn more, please visit the Starkey website.

About Starkey 

Starkey is a privately held, global hearing technology company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Owned by Bill Austin since 1967, Starkey is known for its innovative design, development and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Led today by President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, Starkey has more than 5,000 employees, operates 29 facilities and does business in more than 100 markets worldwide.