2015 Update
Coming this Spring (2015), Med-El will begin offering their Sonnet Audio Processor. The Sonnet is Med-El’s most Advanced Processor. It is water-resistant, has a sleek silhouette, can be color-customized, is lightweight, and tamper-proof. SONNET can keep up with the most active of lifestyles and the youngest of children. With built-in wireless connectivity (2.4 GHz) you can sync with nearly any current external audio source and future streaming technologies. With SONNET’s 60-hour battery life, you’ll also stay connected longer.
Founded by Dr. Hochmair and Prof. Hochmair in Innsbruck, Austria in 1977, Med El has been an industry leader from the beginning of cochlear implant technology. Med El was the first to offer a behind-the-ear processor for their implants instead of the body worn device in 1991. Currently, they are leading the way with the world’s first single unit processor, Rondo. The current implant is the Med El Concert which has their unique, soft, and flexible electrode array that is the same length as the cochlea, which takes advantage of all available nerve fibers.
The Rondo model pictured below is a unique diversion from typical implant apparatus. The processor, connection, and power are all in one convenient module that eliminate exterior wire and connectors. This unit still needs to connect to an array of electrodes that have been surgically implanted into the cochlea.
