Optimized for over-the-counter hearing aids, a trio of balanced-armature receivers and two MEMS microphones from Knowles excel in acoustic performance. The product announcement follows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s issuance of the final rules to establish and regulate a new category for OTC hearing aids. The rulemaking is intended to broaden access to quality, affordable hearing aids for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.
Compared to conventional commercial drivers, balanced armatures offer smaller size, lower power consumption, and higher stable gain at critical frequencies. These qualities optimize hearing instrument designs and maximize fit rate. The Knowles RAP, RAQ and RLQ balanced-armature receivers offer three power level options for delivering this performance and producing excellent clarity.
Knowles’ highly automated manufacturing operation is specifically optimized for high-volume balanced armature production. This manufacturing technology enables tightened performance tolerances and improved supply chain traceability in a high-throughput operation.
The Knowles MM06 MEMS microphone addresses the value-based segment of the OTC hearing aid category with reliable performance and lower power consumption than comparable commercial microphones. The more advanced MM30 MEMS microphone features a highly trimmable circuit that can tune sensitivity, distortion, noise, and power consumption for full-featured hearing aids.
The OTC hearing aid devices will be showcased at CES 2023, January 5-8, in Las Vegas.
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.