The Roger Pen – The All Singing All Dancing Hearing Aid Gadget:

What is the Roger Pen and Why is it the Superior Microphone?

The Roger Pen is an advanced microphone which uses Roger Technology to facilitate better hearing in complex listening environments – both at work and socially. Created by Phonak, this premium-quality product also allows users to make the most of multimedia by streaming from mobile phones and television. Produced in a portable and discreet pen-shaped design, like an FM system, it can be compatible with almost any hearing aid of any manufacturer when used with the correct Roger receiver.

There are four types of the receiver:

Integrated receivers in Phonak Marvel hearing aids:

• Design integrated receivers that click onto other Phonak hearing aids and selected cochlear implants.
• Roger X – a universal receiver which clicks onto many behind-the-ear hearing aids and cochlear implants.
• Roger MyLink – a neck loop receiver compatible with any hearing aid with a telecoil function.

When connected with hearing aids and used correctly, the advanced microphones of the Roger Pen provide excellent sound quality, whilst reducing annoying and unwanted background noise, allowing the user to enjoy conversation in noise or over a distance.

Who Would Benefit from a Roger Pen and Why?

Any hearing aid user who wishes to improve their listening experience in complex listening environments and/or stream effortlessly from mobile phones or televisions – especially if they would like these benefits combined in one piece of technology for simplicity.

It is generally accepted that even with hearing aids of the highest technology level, hearing in background noise can still be challenging.

This is simply because even with the use of the most advanced directional microphones, a pair of hearing aids cannot produce a signal-to-noise ratio to rival any additional remote microphone.

The highest level of hearing aid technology can produce an improvement of around 5db (signal-to-noise ratio) whereas a remote microphone can give the user a more generous 15db (signal-to-noise ratio) improvement.

Use of the Roger Pen is commonly used in education, work, and social environments. Here are some examples of when a Roger Pen would provide benefit:

Though the Roger Pen is traditionally perceived to be the favoured technology for the most social of people, it can also provide huge benefit to those who are used to a quieter lifestyle, who rely on support from friends and family. For example, when in a wheelchair, the hearing aid user is unable to access any visual clues or lip-read, so the Roger Pen in lanyard mode around the supports neck will undoubtedly benefit.

The Microphone Modes:

There are three microphone modes which can be selected manually by the user or automatically by the pen’s intelligence:

• Interview mode – For hearing one particular speaker in a noisy environment, direct the pen at the person you wish to hear
• Conference mode – For use on a table or meeting environment where you want to hear speakers from all around
• Lanyard/lapel mode – For 1:1 conversation in a noisy environment. Your friend or colleague wears the pen on a lanyard around their neck