Brookway Hearing Center introduces the revolutionary Livio Al hearing aid to Northeast Ohio

By Ken McEntee

It wasn’t long ago when a cell phone simply made phone calls. Now, your smart phone is also a camera, a boom box, an alarm clock, a calendar, a calculator, a GPS mapping system and an unlimited collection of video games, social media apps and videos of piano playing cats.

“With the latest technology, hearing aids are going down the same road as cell phones,” observes Susan Turano, a licensed hearing aid specialist at Brookway Hearing Center, in Strongsville.

“The new Livio AI hearing aid is a multi-purpose device that monitors your body and brain, translates languages and does a lot of things you probably never expected a hearing aid to do. And, by the way, it also provides incredible clarity of speech.”

As a preferred dealer of Starkey Hearing Technologies, Brookway is among the first hearing centers in the country to offer the revolutionary product, emphasizes Brookway owner Robert Pavlik, Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences, licensed by the state and an Audioprosthologist. Kayla is licensed with the state, as is Susan, who is also Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences.

The three of them traveled to Starkey’s Minnesota headquarters last month for special training on the brand new Livio devices.

The Livio AI—AI is an acronym for “artificial intelligence”—is the “best performing and best sounding hearing aid Starkey has ever made,” Robert reports.

“The Livio AI is so much more than just a hearing aid. It is a gateway to better health and wellness. Using integrated sensors and artificial intelligence, it is the first device to track physical activity and cognitive health as measured by hearing aid use in social situations.”

One of the most convenient features of the Livio AI is the ability to make remote adjustments through a smartphone.

“We can adjust clients’ hearing aids without them having to come into the office,” Susan explains. “If you’re not able to leave your home, or if you’re busy at work and an adjustment needs to be made, we can make it remotely from our office.”

Among the other advances of the Livio AI, Robert explains, are:

• The device’s new Hearing Reality technology provides an average 50 percent reduction in noisy environments, significant reduced listening effort and newly enhanced clarity of speech, while the use of artificial intelligence and integrated sensors enable it to optimize the hearing experience. That means when your neighbor’s cat plays Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 at the next party, you won’t miss a note.
• It tracks overall health and wellness through the associated Thrive mobile device app, which tracks and measures brain and body health scores. The hearing aids communicate with each other and compatible mobile accessories to deliver meaningful, real-time feedback about users’ overall body and cognitive health and fitness. The technology allows people to take a proactive and personal approach to treating hearing loss, which has been linked to various health issues including dementia, cognitive decline, anxiety, stress, social isolation and an increased risk of falling.
• It integrates physical activity data measured by its inertial sensors with Apple Health and Google Fit apps.
• The wearer can adjust sound and program settings using the smart phone app. “For example, this is wonderful for a person who works in an office setting, but has to go back into the factory on occasion,” Susan explains. “All you have to do is choose the environment setting that is appropriate to the hearing situation you’re in.”
• It allows remote programming by users’ hearing professionals to put hearing healthcare in the hands of the users.
• When a person speaks to you in a language you don’t understand, the communication is translated into your language and presented as text on your mobile device.
• The dual-radio wireless platform allows streaming of phone calls, music, media, apps and connecting with devices like TVs and Amazon Alexa. “You can answer calls and talk just using your hearing aids,” Robert says.
• The integrated 3D motion sensors inside Livio AI enable the hearing aids to detect movement, track activities and recognize gestures. Robert adds that the motion sensors soon will enable the device to detect falls and call for help. The fall detection feature isn’t yet activated, but is expected to be soon, he says.

“The advanced circuit that powered the Livio AI was developed by Starkey’s chief technology officer, who was previously at Intel Corp,” Bob says. “Having this much power in a hearing aid is unprecedented.”

A family business owned by Robert and his wife, Michelle, Brookway, celebrated 10 years this summer.

Robert, Susan and Kayla use the latest technology and techniques to improve clients’ ability to listen to the world around them.

“There is no one-size-fits-all hearing solution,” Robert emphasizes. “We work meticulously with each patient to fit him or her with the hearing aid that best fits their needs and lifestyle.”

Kayla, in fact, has had a bilateral cochlear implant in both ears for the past 14 years, and she chose to go into this field because of the impact her audiologist has had on her life.

You can discover whether the Livio AI is the best fit for you by scheduling a hearing examination, at 440-572-9929. Brookway is located at 11180 Pearl Road, in Strongsville. You can visit BrookwayHearing.com for more information.