FDA Approves MED-EL’s RONDO 3 All-in-One Audio Processor

Latest Advance in SYNCHRONY Cochlear Implant System Offers Wireless Streaming and Wireless Charging with 24-hour Rechargeable Battery

DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MED-EL USA announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the new slim and lightweight RONDO 3 Audio Processor for the SYNCHRONY Cochlear Implant System. MED-EL anticipates that RONDO 3 will be available later this year. New MED-EL recipients can swap out an unopened RONDO 2 Audio Processor for a RONDO 3 Audio Processor through the RONDO Swap Program.

RONDO 3 offers wireless streaming, wireless charging with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 24 hours, and compatibility with all hearing aids worn on the opposite side. This allows recipients to choose the best hearing aid for their needs – including the hearing aid that they are already wearing. Bidirectional microphones focused on speech allow for more comfortable and natural conversations, especially in noisy environments. RONDO 3 also includes automated settings for wind noise reduction for better hearing outdoors.

Paired with MED-EL’s AudioLink, RONDO 3 allows users to stream high-quality audio wirelessly from many external audio sources, make hands-free phone calls, and benefit from an additional remote microphone to hear more clearly.

“RONDO 3 is an exciting advance for our MED-EL recipients, in that it pairs the latest wireless and audio processing technology with even greater comfort, customization, and style,” said Raymond Gamble, President & CEO, MED-EL North America. “We look forward to bringing this innovation to market for all of our recipients, whether they just received a MED-EL implant, or have been a member of our MED-EL family for years. Our future-ready engineering enables recipients with any MED-EL internal implant to access the latest in sound processing advancements. We don’t leave anyone behind.”

In addition to wireless streaming, RONDO 3 features an integrated rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Users simply place their processor on the center of an inductive charging pad and the battery recharges without wires or other connections, saving money and the environmental toll of single-use batteries.

With a rating of IP68, RONDO 3 is water-resistant enough to survive dust, rain, sweat, an accidental spill or splash of water, or even a brief immersion in water. RONDO 3 can be kept completely waterproof with reusable WaterWear covers.

RONDO 3 was designed for comfort and style. It is worn completely off the ear, which is ideal for people who wear glasses, as well as for those who wear face masks with ear loops. MED-EL offers a range of wearing options to fit individual style, from blending in with one of 5 standard covers or 9 subtle and discreet hair-patterned design covers, to standing out with more than 30 colorful covers, ranging from art-inspired to animal prints, all which can be easily changed. Special Simplicity Covers help new users and caregivers locate the on/off button, and a Mini Cover can make RONDO 3 even lighter.

More information about RONDO 3 and the RONDO Swap Program can be found at www.rondoswapinfo.com.

About MED-EL

MED-EL Medical Electronics, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, is driven by a mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication. The Austrian-based, privately owned business was co-founded by industry pioneers Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, whose ground-breaking research led to the development of the world’s first micro-electronic multi-channel cochlear implant (CI), which was successfully implanted in 1977 and was the basis for what is known as the modern CI today. This laid the foundation for the successful growth of the company in 1990, when they hired their first employees. To date, MED-EL has grown to more than 2,200 employees from around 75 nations and has 33 locations worldwide.

The company offers the widest range of implantable and non-implantable solutions to treat all types of hearing loss, enabling people in 124 countries to enjoy the gift of hearing with the help of a MED-EL device. MED-EL’s global portfolio of hearing solutions includes cochlear implant systems, a combined Electric Acoustic Stimulation hearing implant system, and bone conduction devices. www.medel.com