Starkey Inspire X Portable Laptop User Manual
- June 5, 2024
- Starkey
Table of Contents
Starkey Inspire X Portable Laptop
Introduction
The following guide provides information on Inspire X fitting software.
Inspire X fitting software supports product families introduced in 2006 and
forward. Some of these products are no longer available for new sales, but
programming capability continues. Product visibility in the Simulate Products
screen varies by market.
Intended Use
Inspire X is a software medical device intended to allow a hearing
professional to appropriately adjust an air conduction hearing aid’s features
and performance to enable the hearing aid to compensate for a patient’s
impaired hearing.
Install
Inspire X fitting software is available in a variety of forms. Installation instructions are provided with each type of installation. We encourage you to work with your sales representative to establish a prosite account with us. This provides you a wide variety of information and gives you access to links for Inspire X download.
Once Inspire X is installed, we provide automatic updates when future versions
are released. We strongly encourage using that automatic feature to keep the
software version up to date.
Additionally, you may contact Customer Support for a USB or DVD copy.
System Requirements
- Processor Speed: Pentium® 4 or higher recommended
- System RAM: 2 GB minimum, 3 GB recommended
- Operating System: Windows® 7, Windows 8 or 8.1, Windows 10
- Hard Disk: Hard disk space required to run 1.5 GB
- Browsers (for eStore Access, Inspire Updater, and remote programming):
- Internet Explorer® – latest version
- ChromeTM – latest version
- Firefox® – latest version
- Microsoft Edge® – latest version
- Communications Port for Programmer:
- Serial COM port (or an approved USB to Serial converter) is required for HiPro and HiPro 2
- USB port for SpeedPort, SpeedPort 2, NOAHlink, HiPRO USB, SurfLink wireless programmer, 2.4 GHz Wireless Programmer and NOAHlink wireless programmer
- Audio Hardware: Sound card and stereo speakers are recommended to take full advantage of media sounds
Client Database: NOAH System 3.x or 4, ProHear Deluxe or Standard, ProHear.NET, PatientBase
Optional tools
- NOAH 4 software or Patient Base software
- Internet connection
- Real ear measurement system
- AdobeTM Acrobat ReaderTM
Database options
Inspire X fitting software offers the best user experience when combined with
a database application. We recommend using NOAH 4 or our proprietary database
called PatientBase. For further information on the NOAH application, please
contact HIMSA. For additional information on PatientBase, please contact
Customer Service.
Inspire X Overview
This guide provides an overview of the Inspire X fitting software. The high-
level information in this guide covers general navigation, functionality and
tools. For additional information with greater detail, please click this link
or inside of the fitting software go to the Help menu and click on Help for
Inspire.
Left Navigation
Inspire X is organized into sections in the vertical, left navigation panel.
The Pre-Fitting section is designed to support your needs outside of hearing
aid adjustment. This section is composed of:
-
Inspire Online
Inspire Online is a resource center for information on products, innovations, hearing loss, etc. and provides links to QuickTIPS, programming guides, and training. Inspire Online is only available if the PC has Internet access. -
Simulate Products
Select Simulate Products to view product families and styles as well as matrices and fitting ranges. After selecting a specific device, click on the Simulate button in the lower right corner to view a simulated fitting. Most fitting screens are available in the simulate mode. -
Order and Service
Order and Service launches eStore to order hearing aids, earmolds and accessories or launches the Service Request Form to process repairs and returns. Order and Service is only available if the PC has Internet access. Additionally, you must have prosite account. A browser such as Internet Explorer 8 or greater, Google Chrome, etc. and Adobe Reader
are required. This is a secure connection to transmit data, therefore, all health information is protected. -
Hearing Loss Simulator
The Hearing Loss Simulator is a tool to demonstrate the effects of the patient’s hearing loss using a variety of sounds. Various display options, visual aids, and drawing tools help facilitate the discussion of the impact of hearing loss. The Hearing Loss Simulator is available if it was installed.
The Get Started section is designed for connecting to hearing aids either live or in a remote fitting. This section is composed of:
-
Connect Devices
Connect Devices is the default screen for this section and displays information about detected hearing aids. This screen is where you select your programmer and read the hearing aid. You may also retrieve sessions, from this screen, and load them into the hearing aid. -
Remote Programming
In order to use our remote programming feature, you must first create an account. Click the link for instructions or go to the Pre-Fitting section in the left navigation panel and click on Inspire Online. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find information on setting up an account and conducting remote programming sessions in the Latest QuickTIPS section.
Fitting is the most often used section of Inspire X and is specifically for fitting hearing aids. This section is accessible after reading a hearing aid or after simulating a fitting from the Simulate screen. Adjustments for most screens may be binaural or monaural depending on the side selection buttons located in the center, top portion of the screen. The fitting section is composed of:
- QuickFit – provides convenient accessibility to adjust overall gain, overall output, low frequency gain, high frequency gain, and occlusion.
- Fine Tuning – makes discreet, frequency-specific adjustments to channel gains and maximum output. Channel adjustments change gain and compression settings and MPO modifies the maximum output. Adjustments can be made to each individual channel, to groups of channels labeled low frequencies, mid frequencies, high frequencies, or ultra frequencies, or to all channels simultaneously. Adjustments vary by product.
- User Controls – tailor the hearing aid controls to the specific needs of each patient. Click on a type of control (i.e. volume) and drag to a gesture and side (i.e. short press – right). Additional user control adjustments include volume and tinnitus range and step size.
- Manager – transition patients with varying levels of hearing aid experience from initial, spontaneously accepted gain settings to the final, desired, target-gain settings. Available as a manual or automatic feature.
- Feedback Canceller – adaptive, active feedback cancellation prevents most feedback. For optimal performance, the feedback canceller should be calibrated in the patient’s ear. Click on Begin to present the calibration signal in both ears.
- Patient Tools – a trio of features include the hearing aid diagnostic tool called Self Check, the checkboxes to enable viewing custom memories during remote programming, and the settings for Auto Fall Alert. These tools are not available on all products.
- Frequency Lowering – a proprietary algorithm characterizes the high-frequency spectral shape and dynamically recreates that spectral shape inside a lower frequency target region. Adjustments include the bandwidth and gain.
- Sound Manager – comprised of noise management, adaptive algorithms and directionality adjustments. The default view shows setting across all enabled memories. Adjustments can be made by clicking the up/down arrows on the setting value or by clicking details for more information.
- Tinnitus – access to enable the tinnitus stimulus and set modulation as desired. Stimulus Personalization guides you through testing for the minimum detection levels and minimum masking levels to customize the tinnitus stimulus to your patient’s specific needs. Availability varies by product.
- Memories – configure phone and loop options as well as copy and move memories. The memories bar, located in the center of most screens, provides easy access to selecting memory environments based on your patient’s need. Additionally, selecting a memory environment automatically enables the corresponding speech indicator for that memory.
- Accessories – pair hearing aids to accessories (2.4 GHz accessories may be paired outside of Inspire X as well) and adjust the level of the hearing aid microphone while streaming.
- Indicators – a wide variety of indicator options includes language and gender for speech indicators as well as many frequency-specific tone indicators. Levels may be set globally or individually for speech and/or tone indicators. Indicators may be played through the hearing aid for counseling through desktop speakers.
- Fitting Summary – one stop to view all settings across all enabled memories. Convenient links make it easy to jump to specific areas to make changes as needed.
- Data Log – collects and summarizes hearing aid data. View global averages or drill into memory-specific data. Data Log is a valuable tool for counseling and targeting specific hearing aid adjustments.
- Advanced Tools – this section offers additional tools for professionals to use, as needed, during hearing aid fittings. Choose from: Audiometer, Expert Assistant, Hearing Aid Test, Speech Mapping and Verify Comfort.
Top Navigation
The top, horizontal tool bar of Inspire X includes six menus:
- File – offers typical selection menu: open, save, print, and close
- Edit – Undo, redo and copy settings
- Preferences – a wide variety of customization options for a personalized fitting experience
- Tools – various options most often used during fittings. Most are an additional access point
- Display – select from various display and input options. Default: Speech input and predicted real ear response
- Help – this menu comprises help files, specific version number, the EULA, and other help-related items
The secondary tool bar offers quick access to many items that are under the upper tool bar menus. Simply hover over an icon to view a tool tip descriptor. The fitting formula drop down is conveniently located
on this tool bar providing a visual indication of the selected fitting formula.
Setup
- Install Inspire X fitting software. A series of screens assists you in setting up the software for your region.
- Connect a programmer to your computer. Compatible options are: NOAHlink, NOAHlink wireless and our proprietary programmers.
- Enter the patient-specific information into your database application and open Inspire X.
- Connect the hearing aids to the programmer using the appropriate programmer and connection (i.e. wired or wireless) defined in Cables and Connectors under the Help menu.
- Select the hearing aids, read device settings, and click Start.
Fitting Session with Inspire X
- After completing the setup process and reading a new hearing aid, a series of screens will prompt you through the initial setup process. These screens may be completed with or without the patient present. If the patient is not present, Inspire X allows you to skip initializing the feedback canceller until a later time.
- After exiting the initial fitting screens, the default screen is QuickFit. Each subsequent hearing aid read after the initial fitting will also begin on QuickFit. Additional frequency response and feature adjustments are accessible through the vertical left navigation. Inspire X adjustments are immediately passed to the hearing aid so that your patient can experience each change. There is no extra step required to ‘apply’ or ‘program’ changes to the hearing aid.
- Upon completion of the fitting session, click on the floppy disk icon on the upper tool bar to prompt the save session dialog and exit to the Get Started screen or click the x in the upper right-hand corner to save and then close Inspire X. Saving the session stores that session in the database for future retrieval if needed.
Safety Information
WARNING: For safety and correct usage, we recommend that you familiarize
yourself with the fitting software. Additional resources such as detailed
fitting guides and online courses are available on the prosite.
Take special care when setting up the tinnitus stimulus, ensuring that the
stimulus level does not exceed a comfortable level for the patient.
Use precaution when fitting a power instrument where the maximum sound
pressure capability exceeds 132 dB SPL as you may risk causing damage to the
hearing of that patient.
Please follow instructions to remove hearing aids from the patient’s ear for
certain procedures such as updating firmware.
Starkey Hearing Technologies 6700 Washington Ave. South Eden Prairie, MN 55344 USA
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