We think brain first

At Oticon, we develop hearing aids that support the brain in its natural process to understand sound. We call this BrainHearing™

But what is BrainHearing?

When it comes to developing hearing aids, we defied convention and took a different path to others in the industry by focusing on the brain’s role in hearing.

BrainHearing is our unique and pioneering approach. It centres on giving the brain what it needs to make sense of sound.

[iframe src="//wdh.23video.com/12841282.ihtml/player.html?token=d8088ac7c705e02e774c98ac76cb0b8f&source=embed&photo%5fid=17401527" width="900" height="655" frameborder="0" border="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="1" mozallowfullscreen="1" webkitallowfullscreen="1"][/iframe]

Hearing loss is a risk factor for dementia

In mid-life, hearing loss is a potential modifiable risk factor for developing dementia

According to research in the Lancet, 35% of dementia cases can be explained by potentially modifiable risk factors such as untreated hearing loss, smoking, depression, and physical inactivity.

In fact, satisfactory treatment of hearing loss in mid-life can potentially reduce the risk of dementia more than any other action – including quitting smoking and exercising more.*

The significant role of hearing in mental health is just one of the reasons that our BrainHearing™ approach is so important.

*Livingston et al, 2017

How does BrainHearing help?

When the brain does not receive the right sounds it needs, it uses more effort to create meaning. BrainHearing gives the brain access to the full soundscape and enables it to focus on the most relevant sound sources.






BrainHearing supports the brain in the natural way it processes sound. The brain uses a 4-step process to make sense of sound – each step occurring simultaneously.

1. Orient

With all sounds accessible and detailed spatial information available, the brain can naturally orient itself in the sound environment.

2. Separate

The enhanced contrast between the elements of the open sound experience helps the brain separate relevant sounds from competing noise.

3. Focus

With constant access to sounds, even in complex environments, the brain can choose where to focus and re-focus.

4. Recognise

Rebalancing the sounds makes them distinct and easier to recognise. This frees up capacity in the brain to store and recall information.

Hearing aids keep the brain fit

Active use of hearing aids will make it easier for hearing impaired people to participate in social activities. Social activities probably stimulate the brain, which decreases the risk of accelerated cognitive decline. Professor Hélène Amieva, of the University of Bordeaux, France discusses the benefits of keeping the brain fit.

Watch the video to learn more

Expanding the benefits of

Introducing the new Oticon Opn S™

Better speech understanding and reduced listening effort

With the introduction of Oticon Opn and the open sound experience, we proved how this unique approach outperforms traditional hearing aid technology.

Now, with the upgraded OpenSound Navigator and the OpenSound Optimizer working together, Oticon Opn S takes BrainHearing™ benefits to new heights*:

  • Oticon Opn increased speech understanding with 30% compared to traditional hearing aids.** Now, Oticon Opn S outperforms Oticon Opn with a further 15% increase.

  • Oticon Opn reduced the listening effort with 20% compared to traditional hearing aids. Oticon Opn S adds an extra 10% reduction to that performance.

  • Oticon Opn improved memory recall with 20% compared to traditional hearing aids. With Oticon Opn S that number is increased with an additional 10%.

* Juul Jensen 2019, Oticon Whitepaper, Oticon Opn S 1
** Ng 2017. Oticon Whitepaper

  • Read more about Oticon Opn S

    Oticon Opn S support the brain in its process to understand sound.

  • Satisfied Oticon hearing aid users

    See what others have to say about Oticon hearing aids.