Starkey Livio Edge Ai

Starkey Livio Edge Ai i2400 RIC Hearing Aid review

Starkey Livio AI Edge is the latest hearing aid model from Starkey. Like the other Livio AI models, Starkey Livio AI Edge takes advantage of Artificial Intelligence (hence the AI) and it has fantastic features. Starkey Livio AI Edge is available in BTE, RIC (Receiver in the Canal) and custom made. This hearing aid comes in 5 tiers of technology, namely i2400, i2000, i1600, i1200, i1000, with Livio AI Edge i2400 being the premium hearing aid. In this review will examine the features of Starkey’s latest premium hearing aid, Livio AI Edge i2400.

Livio AI Edge i2400 Receiver in the canal could be battery-operated (312 and 13) as well as rechargeable. The Livio AI Edge i2400 rechargeable RIC (Receiver In the Canal) hearing aid is set up with Lithium rechargeable batteries, meaning a more durable reliable charge for the consumer. The charger itself has multiple advantages: for one, it is extremely user-friendly as it is magnetic which makes insertion/removal extremely easy. This is particularly useful for those with poor dexterity or limited eyesight. Moreover, the Livio AI Edge i2400 charger can work as a power bank as it holds the charge in and allows you to use it even if it is not directly powered in. Moreover, you can use dehumidifiers inside the charger which is essential for the rechargeable aids where you cannot use a UV light dehumidifier.

Whilst both Livio AI Edge i2400 and Livio AI use artificial intelligence as a way to provide thecustomer with tailor-made hearing experience, a huge advancement that Livio AI Edge i2400 has in comparison to Livio AI, comes from Livio AI Edge i2400 direct streaming to digital devices. In the previous model of Livio AI, hearing aid user needed to use an accessory such as ‘Surflik Mobile 2’ as an interface to directly stream audio to their hearing aids. Compared to other manufacturers (such as Phonak for example, who provides true hands-free conversation, Livio AI lagged a bit behind Starkey has since resolved this limitation and now the users of Livio AI Edge i2400 with any phone or digital devices can stream audio directly to their hearing aids. Livio AI Edge i2400 takes advantage of direct Bluetooth streaming into both Android and iPhone mobile devices, pending that the Andiod operating system is updated to version 10 and your Andriod phone is set up with Bluetooth version 5. For you it means you can stream audio, music, videos, etc directly onto both of your hearing aids, no longer requiring headphones or ear-pods. Biometric health monitoring is another very unique and fascinating feature of Livio AI Edge i2400. Like Livio AI, Livio AI Edge i2400 goes beyond the hearing health and incorporate other health parameters into one single device. Livio AI Edge i2400 is therefore particularly suitable for those who enjoy an active life and would like to keep track of their day to day health performance not only in hearing but also their heart rate, steps monitoring, active listening, and brain health. Starkey Thrive App which is also compatible for both iphone and Android phone, provides scores to the hearing aid user about these criteria which can motivate hearing aid wearer to be more involved in conversations and more physically active, hence increasing their overall health benefits.

Another Biometric feature of Livio AI Edge i2400 is fall detection: This feature is especially suitable for older people who are at risk of fall. The sensors installed in these hearing aids are designed to detect falls and send a message to up to 3 people via the Thrive APP to notify them that the hearing aid user has experienced a fall. This is one of the most exciting features about Starkey Livio AI and now Livio AI Edge i2400, which can provide peace of mind not only to the hearing aid user but to their family and care givers, knowing that if they experience an accident, someone will be immediately notified and will attend to them.

These features truly make Livio AI Edge i2400 a truly fascinating hearing aid. However, I have found that having too many features might be a bit confusing to some clients especially those who would like to “keep things simple”. Considering the age demographics of most of hearing aids users, (older people), having all these features might not necessarily be the best options. In fact, it might be better for clients to only use certain features and not all of them as they might become overwhelmed by them.

Livio AI Edge i2400 RIC is a truly fascinating hearing aid. But, the true exciting news is something else! That is, for the first time amongst hearing aid manufactures, Starkly has managed to offer the hearing aid users a rechargeable CUSTOM MADE hearing aid Livio AI Edge i2400 ITE and ITC! This is the subject of our review in another section

Despite these fascinating features, Starkey has a limitation in its remote care feature. Whilst most manufacturers have managed to address the remote care needs of the clients via live appointments, Starkey’s remote care is only available off-line. This means that as a hearing aid wearer you can request an adjustment and your Audiologist will send the adjustment to you at a later time for you to upload into your hearing aids. The downside with an offline remote care is that if the hearing aid wearer does not like the changes made, they need to send another request and wait for the clinician to respond by sending a new adjustment across and repeat the process as many times as needed.

Overall, I have found the new features and incorporation of AI in Starkey aids very exciting, but suitable only for the right person. If you find yourself interested in a technology like Livio AI Edge i2400, contact your audiologist to discuss your priorities and to find out if Livio AI is for you.

Review by Dr Mahsa Bakhit, Audiologist, Melbourne, Australia