The Latest in “Ear Candy,” Vibe Reflects Wearer’s Fashion and Moods with Interchangeable, Ready-to-Wear Casings

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 2, 2008 – For the growing number of people with mild hearing loss, due in large part to the aging of 78 million baby boomers, hearing instrument options just leaped into a fashionable new realm where bold is “in.” Today, Siemens Hearing Instruments introduced the world’s first crest-fit hearing aid – Vibe®. Available in a wide variety of interchangeable colors and patterns, Vibe will make its debut at the American Academy of Audiology’s 20th Annual AudiologyNOW! Conference, from April 2 to 5, 2008, in Charlotte, N.C. (Booth #1825).

Vibe is the first ever hearing instrument that fits securely into the crest of the ear, leaving the ear canal comfortably open. Since it does not rest behind the ear, accessories like eyeglasses, sunglasses, and bicycle helmets can be worn simultaneously without interfering with the hearing device.

Vibe also offers an expanding selection of interchangeable snap-on covers, with colors like “Cheeky,” “Dynamo” and “Fearless,” and patterns like the checkered “Fast,” feminine “Flirt,” and leopard “Wild.” Wearers can choose up to five covers with their Vibe purchase and, just as fashion is continuously evolving, Siemens will be introducing new covers periodically to keep the looks fresh.

“People are bold and courageous in all sorts of ways, and Vibe is a reflection of those spirits,” said Dr. Thomas Powers, Vice President of Audiology and Professional Relations at Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc. “While grappling with hearing loss is never easy, the look and feel of Vibe allows wearers to improve the quality of their life, without sacrificing their lifestyle.”

Vibe is ideal for people of any age with mild hearing loss of high-frequency sounds, such as soft speech or the pitter-patter of a baby’s footsteps, who want to regain the ability to hear these sounds without having to wear a conventional hearing aid.

Vibe Features

Vibe not only has a bold new fashionable appearance, but it also features industry-leading technology found only in Siemens Hearing Instruments. The new instrument includes exclusive SoundSmoothing® technology, the world’s most effective transient noise suppression technology. In a recent study conducted at the National Acoustic Laboratories, the noise-reduction algorithm used in SoundSmoothing to reduce non-speech transient sounds was shown to offer benefits to the hearing aid wearer in terms of comfort, with no negative effect on intelligibility or localization.

Vibe also features FeedbackBlocker® technology, which automatically reduces or eliminates annoying feedback without affecting sound quality. Also included is eight channel digital signal processing, and a unique microphone that takes advantage of the natural contours of the outer ear and the way it collects and funnels sound into the ear canal.

About Siemens Healthcare

Siemens Healthcare is one of the world’s largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in knowledge engineering, including information technology and system integration. With its laboratory diagnostics acquisitions, Siemens Healthcare is the first fully integrated diagnostics company, bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy, and healthcare information technology solutions, supplemented by consulting and support services. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care – from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. The company employs more than 48,000 people worldwide and operates in 130 countries. In the fiscal year 2007 (Sept. 30), Siemens Healthcare reported sales of €9.85 billion, orders of €10.27 billion, and group profit of €1.32 billion.

Visit www.usa.siemens.com/hearing for more information.