Hearing Aid BW-265

Solar Ear

The BW-265 Hearing Aid is a body-worn hearing aid.

Snapshot
Manufacturing & delivery
Performance & use
Research & standards
Feedback

Product description Brand name and product description

The BW-265 Hearing Aid is a body worn hearing aid for two ears. It features independent volume controls for each ear.

Target region(s) Target region for distribution/implementation (listed by country if specified)

Global

Distributors/implementing organizations Organization(s) distributing/deploying this product directly to communities/individuals?"

Solar Ear

Market suggested retail price Price per unit or service price per usage/terms (USD). Subsidies noted.

< 100 USD

Competitive landscape Similar products available on the market. May not be a comprehensive listing.

iHear hearing aids, Audicus hearing aids, ALIMCO Hearing Aids

SDG targeted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted with this product/application/service

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

Target user(s) Target user/consumer base (country, income segment)

Adults and children with hearing loss

Manufacturing/building method(s) Detail regarding solution production or construction method (instructions, mass production capacity, custom made,etc...)

Solar Ear manufactures all of their products in their factories in Brazil, Botswana, and China.

Product Intellectual Property Open source/IP protected (note patent)/trade secret/other?

Open source

User Provision Model Where can the product be purchased/acquired by end users?

Solar Ear has national distributors in over 40 countries. Customers residing in countries without a national distributor can fill out an online contact form to request a quote.

Distribution to date Number of units that have been deployed, downloads or users to date

Between 2002 and 2018 Solar Ear has sold over 50,000 Solar Ear hearing aids, 100,000 solar chargers, and 250,000 rechargeable hearing aid batteries.

Fields marked are sourced values that have been evaluated by the manufacturer or a third party, all others are design specifications.

Peak OSLP 90 (dB SPL)

The most sound that the hearing aid will make with 90dB input

132 dB SPL

High frequency average (HFA) OSLP 90 (dB SPL)

Average level of just the high frequencies with 90 dB input

122 dB SPL

HFA full-on gain (dB)

Average full-on gain, which is defined as the gain control of the hearing aid set to its full-on position with an input SPL of 50 dB.Display order

55 dB

Total harmonic distortion for 500Hz (%), 800Hz (%) and 1600Hz (%)

How well the aid is able to reproduce sound clearly

<3.8, <2.5, <1.0 Hz

Equivalent input noise (dB)

Noise level output

<25 dB

Number of frequency channels

Number of channels available for programming

2 frequency channels

Battery type

AAA

Battery current (mA)

Provides information to user on how long it will take for battery to die

<4.5 mA

Memory switch (Y/N)

Used to switch between multiple programs in order to optimize hearing aid for different environments

T-coil feature (Y/N)

An additional setting on some hearing aids

Yes

Design specifications Component and Operation overview including power, portability, facility requirements, preventative maintenance and user training requirements

The device consists of two headphones that are connected to an electronic box by a wire. The headphones are placed in both ears of the user and the electronic box is stored by the user in, for example, pockets or a bag. Product specifications include:

Two channels – one for each ear
Individual-ear adjustment
Binaural headset
New Class- AB Amplifier
Audio input support
Telecoil
With trimmers
MTO Switch
Product dimensions are: 660 x 43.1 x 20.3 mm

Product schematics Design and assembly illustrations

Technical support Technical support provided by

The listening programs must be set by a hearing healthcare professional or the manufacturer. All Solar Ear hearing aids come with a 2-year warranty. Technical support is provided in the user manual.

Replacement components Availability of replacement components (in-country, by order,...)

Replacement batteries are available for purchase from the manufacturer.

Lifecycle Disposal and warranty

The rechargeable battery can withstand at least 500 cycles. The lifetime of the hearing aid is approximately five years.

Manufacturer specified performance targets Designer / Manufacturer specified targets

Manufacturer specified performance targets include: clear and balanced sound delivery, low noise, low harmonic distort, attractive design.

Vetted performance Findings of manufacturer evaluations or independent testing centers

Results from a clinical trial of a Solar Ear BTE hearing aid with 21 participants revealed that the hearing aid offers substantial benefit to the hearing impaired with a severe predominantly sensorineural hearing impairment (i.e >60 dB at 2 kHz) and gives amplification in the desired frequency range that is aligned with National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) recommendations.

Testing organizations Independent lab, academic research centers, etc.

Clinical trial was conducted by Bispebjerg Hospital, Denmark.

Solar Ear was tested and approved by Solar Ear and international organizations including WHO, UNICEF, U.S FDA, ANVISA, CE, and ISO.

Safety Potential hazards / risks related to operation of this product

Patients with a middle-ear infection are cautioned not to use this product until cured, unless instructed otherwise by a doctor.

Complementary technical systems Performance of this product is improved with another technology (eg. Cookstoves and Wind-blocking skirts)

USB charging ports are needed to recharge the device battery.

Academic research Academic research related to the product (e.g. published papers in peer-reviewed journals)

Parving, A., Christensen, B., 2004, Clinical trial of a low-cost, solar-powered hearing aid. Acta Otolaryngol. 124(4):416-20.

Humphreys, G., 2013, Technology Transfer Aids Hearing, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 91(7), pp. 471–472.

Compliance with regulations Product certifications and standards referenced by designer/manufacturer

CE mark, U.S FDA approved, ANVISA approved, and compliant with ISO standards.

Evaluation methods Evaluation methods/protocols/guidelines referenced by designer or manufacturer.

The hearing aid was evaluated using the IOI-HA form. This form has 7 questions about product satisfaction and limitations in activity. The responses are graded on a scale of 1-5, where 5 is the maximum score. At the end of testing the subject marks a preference for the test-hearing aid or the previously fitted hearing aid.

Other information

Solar Ear has been featured in several articles and by several TV shows, magazines, and newspapers.

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In context files & documents (0)

Feedback from users, customers & distributors

Please let us know your experience in using this product through comments below.

Snapshot

Product description Brand name and product description

The BW-265 Hearing Aid is a body worn hearing aid for two ears. It features independent volume controls for each ear.

Target region(s) Target region for distribution/implementation (listed by country if specified)

Global

Distributors/implementing organizations Organization(s) distributing/deploying this product directly to communities/individuals?"

Solar Ear

Market suggested retail price Price per unit or service price per usage/terms (USD). Subsidies noted.

< 100 USD

Competitive landscape Similar products available on the market. May not be a comprehensive listing.

iHear hearing aids, Audicus hearing aids, ALIMCO Hearing Aids

SDG targeted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted with this product/application/service

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

Target user(s) Target user/consumer base (country, income segment)

Adults and children with hearing loss

Manufacturing & delivery

Manufacturing/building method(s) Detail regarding solution production or construction method (instructions, mass production capacity, custom made,etc...)

Solar Ear manufactures all of their products in their factories in Brazil, Botswana, and China.

Product Intellectual Property Open source/IP protected (note patent)/trade secret/other?

Open source

User Provision Model Where can the product be purchased/acquired by end users?

Solar Ear has national distributors in over 40 countries. Customers residing in countries without a national distributor can fill out an online contact form to request a quote.

Distribution to date Number of units that have been deployed, downloads or users to date

Between 2002 and 2018 Solar Ear has sold over 50,000 Solar Ear hearing aids, 100,000 solar chargers, and 250,000 rechargeable hearing aid batteries.

Performance & use