New technology to change the lives of Kiwis who have cochlear implants
The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor streams sound
In comparison to the previous version of the implant, the newly launched version can directly connect with Apple devices such as iPhones, rather than use additional equipment.
It's believed over 22,000 Kiwis who are living with severe hearing loss can now reach a higher level of hearing.
In New Zealand, nearly 19 per cent of the population - around 880,350 people - are estimated to have hearing loss.
Last year, hearing loss was estimated to cost the New Zealand economy $957 million, over half of this was in lost productivity.
The Government has boosted funding for adult cochlear implants to nearly $15 million for the year, helping more Kiwis to have these operations for free.
