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When you use regular listening devices, most likely they will not meet the requirements of your individual hearing abilities. This is where Sound Personalization steps in. The goal of Sound Personalization is to overcome the one-size-fits-all agenda when it comes to personal audio devices. Mimi Sound Personalization tunes audio to your hearing abilities and preferences. After being guided through a quick hearing test, the technology restores detail, richness, and contrast of sound. It enables you to listen at a lower volume, without missing any details.

Mimi customizes your audio by assessing your hearing ability, either through a demographic estimation based on age, or through the result of a short hearing test. A unique hearing profile is then created based on your hearing ability. Mimi technology continuously analyzes and adapts the audio in real time. The software mimics the function of the healthy human ear and uses your unique Mimi hearing profile to emphasize the parts of the audio signal that are less pronounced for you.

Mimi’s biologically inspired and complex signal processing solves problems an EQ cannot. The technology provides a real-time simulation of the human ear, and only those frequencies you are not able to hear are unmasked. The processing naturally restores detail, richness, and contrast of sound.

You could also use the Equalizer (EQ) on your device to manually adjust settings like treble, mids and bass, but these parameters are often too superficial and limiting. These chosen settings do not give an indication if you are experiencing the best sound for you and your hearing ability, and are not adaptive to your listening behavior.

Mimi’s biologically inspired and complex signal processing solves problems an EQ cannot.

Years of scientific research went into our dynamic multiband compression system which is backed by several patents and corroborated by a series of publications. In order to properly parametrise our processing system we have researched and developed a fitting paradigm that is based on the well-researched loudness restoration concept and uses the output of our hearing testing as a foundation to compensate for each individual’s hearing loss.

While it has been well proven that sensori-neural hearing loss is fundamentally non-linear, still many solutions on the market try to address compensation by applying linear signal amplification (EQ-based). Although this creates an initially noticeable effect, merely applying static linear gains on the signal will rather contribute to a further deterioration of the user’s hearing and also not account for the complex interaction of the mastered streamed audio signals with the listeners hearing system.

Both internal and external studies, as well as countless reviews of our in-the-market products, have proven the effectiveness of our system to help people hear previously lost details of the signal and experience a wider and more immersive sound with Mimi

With Mimi processing, you can hear details in the sound that may not have been inaudible before, which results in a richer audio experience. Mimi’s processing is a non-linear dynamics processor which utilizes loudness, psychoacoustics, and equalization (colouration) to overcome any potential difficulties associated with hearing loss. The non-linear nature of the processing means that some parts of the signal will be higher in intensity, while other pieces are reduced. The resulting signal will sound fuller, and more detailed, while reducing the peak intensity of the signal.

Mimi is designed to provide a better experience for people with a variety of hearing profiles, with the greatest benefit for people with mild to moderate hearing loss (as defined by the World Health Organization). Mimi processing is not intended to replace a hearing aid or other medical interventions that might be prescribed or recommended by an audiologist or other medical professional. If you are diagnosed with or suspect that you have significant hearing loss, you should consult a doctor about potential diagnostic and treatment options.

Mimi Sound Personalization can restore detail and richness to audio for people of all ages. The total volume of people with hearing impairment is set to increase to 900 million worldwide by 2050, according to The World Health Organization (WHO). As we age, typically from the age of 18 and onwards, the natural deterioration of our bodies sets in, and this has an impact on our hearing too. The more an individual experiences hearing impairment, the more benefit they will experience from Mimi, but this is not only specific to older people.

Mimi helps the ear transmit more information to the brain, compensating for your unique hearing ability. More sounds become audible again and details otherwise lost are restored. As a result, you can decrease the volume, without sacrificing the audio experience, protecting your hearing over time. When listening with Mimi, and refraining from turning up the volume too loudly, you will have less risk of further damaging their hearing from prolonged exposure to loud volumes.

Mimi Sound Personalization tunes audio to your hearing abilities and preferences. The technology naturally restores detail, richness, and contrast of sound. It enables you to listen at a lower volume, without missing any details. As the need to turn up the volume is decreased we actively contribute to the long-term preservation of your hearing.

When Mimi Sound Personalization is turned on, you will see fine-tuning buttons on your profile card.

The default “recommended” option is applied as the best fit to your individual hearing profile.

Depending on your hearing ability (good hearing, slight to moderate hearing loss etc.) you may see one, or both, of the additional options ‘Richer’ or ‘Softer.’ Selecting one of these additional options will result in the sound personalization effects being stronger or milder respectively.

By playing a sample song, you are able to compare the original audio with different Mimi effects (recommended, richer, or softer) and choose the sound experience you enjoy the most without leaving the app.

Additionally, you can adjust the intensity slider to find the perfect match to your taste or type of content you are listening to.

The selected settings are then saved to your profile and ready to be activated for the next time you use your headphones.

Mimi Voice Clarity is an AI-powered voice enhancement solution that helps you have clearer conversations. It preserves important speech, like announcements or people speaking to you, while reducing distracting background noises such as wind, traffic noise, babble noise (many people talking simultaneously), keyboard clicks, and construction sounds.

Mimi Voice Clarity is designed for integration into True Wireless Earbuds (TWS), Open Wireless Stereo (OWS), Over-The-Ear headphones (OTE).

You can use Mimi Voice Clarity with Mimi-enabled True Wireless Earbuds (TWS), Open Wireless Stereo (OWS), or Over-The-Ear headphones (OTE).

With Mimi Voice Clarity, you’ll experience clearer speech and improved communication, especially in noisy environments. Whether you have mild-to-moderate hearing loss or not, the intelligent sound processing helps you hear everyday conversations and important audio cues more easily.

Mimi Voice Clarity is especially helpful for users with mild to moderate hearing difficulties.

Yes, Mimi Voice Clarity is designed to enhance speech clarity across a wide range of environments, including, but not limited to, cafés, restaurants, busy streets, offices, and meeting rooms. It dynamically adapts to ambient noise levels and acoustic conditions, helping you hear speech more clearly whether you're in a noisy public space or a professional setting.

Mimi Voice Clarity is designed to enhance speech intelligibility during live, face-to-face conversations while wearing headphones. Unlike conventional transparency, ambient, or pass-through modes—which primarily aim to reproduce environmental sound as naturally as possible - Mimi Voice Clarity goes a step further.Its purpose is not just to let in sound, but to intelligently focus on the most relevant acoustic content: human speech.

Both products are designed to improve your listening experience, but are optimized for different situations:

Mimi Sound Personalization enhances streamed audio (like music, videos, and podcasts) by adjusting the sound to your unique hearing profile. It’s based on hearing test results and helps you hear more detail and balance in your media content.

Mimi Voice Clarity focuses on enhancing speech in a real-world environment. It improved speech clarity in real-world, often noisy environments (enhancing the live sound picked up through your headphones’ microphones).

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is designed to block out all external sound while you're using your headphones. Voice Clarity is different - it reduces unwanted background noise but still lets through voices from people around you, making them easier for you to understand.

Mimi Dialogue Focus is an AI-powered solution that separates dialogue from background noise in media applications, improving dialogue clarity without raising the overall volume.

Mimi Dialogue Focus works by isolating the voice content into a separate audio stream, which is then mixed with the original signal. To enhance dialogue clarity, the original audio is attenuated while the voice stream is amplified. This significantly improves speech intelligibility, especially in complex or noisy sound environments, while preserving the quality of the original recording. You can also choose from different predefined intensity levels to find the balance that best suits your listening needs.

You can use this feature when you're struggling to understand the dialogue when watching TV or any streamed media.

Mimi’s Masked Threshold (MT) test measures the quietest level of a pure-tone that a user can perceive in the presence of a masker (i.e. noise) at a specific frequency. This correlates with the ability to make sense of complex soundscapes. This ability is called spectral tuning, with broad tuning being an indicator of hearing impairment.

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The test takes just 3 to 5 minutes and can be done from the comfort of your home using a smartphone and your Mimi-enabled headphones.

During the test, the signal covers a frequency range of from 3.2 to 6 kHz with the user constantly controlling signal level, while the masker remains fixed, centred at 4kHz and a bandwidth of 320 Hz.

The MT test provides a hearing profile/hearing grade, allowing devices to tailor audio output to your specific hearing needs. This results in clearer, more enjoyable sound experiences, whether you're listening to music, watching movies, or making calls. Read more about how to interpret your results here: https://mimi.io/blog/how-to-interpret-your-hearing-test-results-mt-test-for-sound-personalization

This test is modeled after the Békésy tracking procedure and lends itself particularly well for app-based mobile hearing tests, in part because it was designed as an automated test procedure for determining air-conduction thresholds in the first place. Accuracy was determined through diagnostic accuracy studies (DATs) run in our lab or in conjunction with various biotech and academic partners. DATs compare the test you are interested in to a gold standard under identical test conditions. We’ve also run studies to establish reliability. Efforts are currently in place to make accuracy, reliability, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) data more transparent through collaborations with various university medical centers with the intent of subsequently publishing the results in peer-reviewed journals. Some studies have already been published, such as this validation study by Yesantharao et al.(2022).

We have developed two tests, a pure-tone threshold and a masked threshold test, the premise of both of which are based on published literature and the scientific principles which underlie hearing testing in general. Everything we do at Mimi is done in a team approach, with hearing test technology and sound processing development driven by our research team. The team is a group of highly educated and talented individuals with PhDs or Masters spanning from Auditory Psychoacoustics, Audio Engineering, Data Science and Translational Neuroscience.

Under ideal test conditions and when used as intended, the tests provide accurate results. Our tests have been built and tested by both scientists and audiologists. The Mimi Hearing Test App offers a Pure-Tone Threshold (PTT) Test – a type of hearing test that uses an automated procedure modeled after the Békésy tracking method. This makes it especially suitable for app-based mobile hearing tests. Originally, it was developed to automatically determine how well you can hear sounds of varying pitches through air-conduction. The accuracy of the PTT test has been confirmed through accuracy studies conducted in our lab and with various partners. These studies compare the PTT test to a recognized standard under the same conditions. We have also conducted studies to verify the reliability of the test.The test meets the Consumer Technology Association/American National Standards Institute standard ‘Frequency Pure Tone Average Testing Methodology and Reporting Metrics for Consumer Facing Hearing Solutions’ (ANSI/CTA-2118).

From May 2024: The Mimi Hearing Test is no longer a CE-certified medical product (class 1) – based on the European Union’s regulatory framework. The current Mimi PTT Hearing Test follows the ANSI/CTA-2118 standard, employing the Four Frequency Pure-Tone Average Testing Methodology and Hearing Wellness Reporting Metric for Consumer-Facing Hearing Solutions.

Taking the PTT Hearing Test is straightforward and only takes a few minutes. Here’s how you do it:

Listen for the Tones: The app will play a series of beeps at different pitches and volumes. Every time you hear a beep, tap the screen. The tones start very softly and get louder until you can hear them.

Test Both Ears Separately: The test checks one ear at a time to see if there’s any difference in your hearing between the two.

Review Your Hearing Results: Once the test is complete, you will receive a detailed hearing profile. It will let you know if there are certain pitches you don’t hear as well and recommend ways to optimize your audio experience.

The Pure-Tone Threshold (PTT) Test will give you understandable results in 4 to 5 minutes.