Superior Sound Amplifies Quality of Life for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Autodesk Names Cochlear, Creator of the Baha Hearing System, as Inventor of
the Month for February 2009

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk (Nasdaq: ADSK)
has named Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions, a division of Cochlear Ltd
(Cochlear) and a global leader in the development and manufacturing of
implantable hearing solutions, as Autodesk Inventor of the Month for February
2009.

Cochlear successfully used Autodesk Inventor software to develop a digital
prototype of the Baha bone conduction hearing solution. The Baha system uses
direct bone conduction to transfer sound to the cochlea, the auditory center
of the inner ear. This method has the advantage of bypassing the outer and
middle ear -- which might be blocked, damaged or otherwise impaired -- when
transmitting sound vibrations to the inner ear. As a result, individuals with
hearing loss can experience clearer sound in everyday situations like phone
calls and group meetings.

The Inventor of the Month program recognizes the most innovative design and
engineering advancements made by the extensive community using Autodesk
Inventor software -- the foundation of the Autodesk solution for Digital
Prototyping. A digital prototype is a realistic 3D digital simulation of the
entire end product that is used to design, visualize and simulate a product
before it is built, reducing the necessity of constructing physical
prototypes.

Precise Digital Prototyping
"To design the bone conduction implant and the external sound processor that
constitute the Baha system, we need to be able to precisely design, engineer
and manufacture parts on the scale of one hundred-thousandths of a
millimeter," said Daniel Radberg, senior design engineer and CAD manager at
Cochlear BAS, which is responsible for the Baha product line. "Autodesk
Inventor is invaluable in helping us achieve that precision by giving us
detailed 3D views of our products before we've built anything."

Traditional hearing aids use air conduction to transmit sound through the ear
canal. However, people with a damaged middle ear cannot benefit from this type
of device. The Baha system, by contrast, uses a titanium implant in the skull
bone behind the ear. An external sound processor snaps onto the implant,
transmitting sound vibrations from the outside world directly to the cochlea,
bypassing damaged or problematic areas.

This direct transmission route provides several important advantages when it
comes to sound quality. While conventional hearing aids over-amplify sounds to
compensate for the damaged or blocked area, the Baha re-routes the sound
naturally, thereby eliminating the annoying feedback and occlusion often
associated with traditional air conduction hearing aids.

"Cochlear is making great strides toward improving quality of life with their
innovative hearing solutions," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, senior vice
president, Manufacturing Industry Group at Autodesk. "We are pleased that
Inventor software has been able to play a role in helping Cochlear transform
3D digital concepts into reality for consumers."

About the Autodesk Inventor of the Month Program
Each month, Autodesk selects an Inventor of the Month from the more than
800,000 users of Autodesk Inventor software, the foundation for Digital
Prototyping. Winners are chosen for engineering excellence and groundbreaking
innovation. For more information about Autodesk Inventor of the Month, contact
us at IOM@autodesk.com.

About Cochlear BAS
Cochlear BAS engages in the research and development, manufacturing and
marketing of bone conduction hearing solutions. Headquartered in Gothenburg,
Sweden, the company markets its products in Australia, the Americas, Asia
Pacific and Europe and is a division of Cochlear Limited. For additional
information about Cochlear, visit www.cochlear.com.

About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the
manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets.
Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk has developed the
broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art Digital Prototyping solutions to help
customers experience their ideas before they are real. Fortune 1000 companies
rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualize, simulate and analyze real-world
performance early in the design process to save time and money, enhance
quality and foster innovation. For additional information about Autodesk,
visit www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, and Inventor are registered trademarks
or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in
the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or
trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to
alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is
not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this
document.
(C) 2009 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

Contacts: Clay Helm 415.547.2425 Alyson Moses 312.297.7430
Email: clay.helm@autodesk.com alyson.moses@edelman.com

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050415/SFF034LOGO)

SOURCE Autodesk

Clay Helm of Autodesk, +1-415-547-2425, clay.helm@autodesk.com; or Alyson
Moses, +1-312-297-7430, alyson.moses@edelman.com, for Autodesk