Table 1.

Features and Levels Considered With the Conjoint Analysis

Feature	Levels
Audio-in options (measures to connect audio devices such as MP3 player, etc.)	None Via wire Wireless. None
Binaural hearing aids (communication between two aids)	Semi (synchronization of two instruments with regard to, for example, switching programs, volume control) Full (exchange of audio data, for example, for better sound localization and speech segregation)
Data management (collection and application of client-specific data such as loudness adjustments)	None Data logging (collection) only Data logging plus data learning (automatic adjustment)
Directional microphones (use of beamforming for better speech understanding in noise)	None Fixed directional microphone characteristics Adaptive directional microphone characteristics
Listening programs (number and selection of situation-specific programs)	1 program only 3 programs selected manually 3 programs selected automatically based on classification algorithms
Noise cancellation (one-microphone algorithms based on audio-signal analysis in order to improve speech intelligibility in noise)	None Fixed Adjustable (e.g., smooth, medium, intense).
Telephone options (measures to improve use of telephones and mobile phones with the hearing instruments)	None Manually switched t coil T coil activated automatically if telephone headset is held close to the hearing aid
Wind-noise cancellation (suppression of noise caused by wind turbulences)	None Fixed Adjustable (e.g., smooth, medium, intense).