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November 2012
There's a new, interactive national locator for
specific hearing assistance technologies, including loops. For each
location, one finds the address, phone number, and web address . . . so
far 2,121 locations, of which 1,519 are looped. Note that the locator
enables people to search for type of ALD and even type of venue in any
given area. Hearing loop advocates, vendors, and installers . . . this new
ALDlocator.com welcomes your submitting venues not yet included.
http://www.aldlocator.com/
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May 2012
Developers of Apple iphone, ipad, or ipod Touch
applications (apps) are taking advantage of built-in microphones and
speakers to turn these portable devices into personal amplifiers. While
new apps are constantly being introduced, we've reviewed the following 12
hearing assistance apps and rated their features when used with standard
Apple ear buds. For people who have mild hearing loss, perhaps related to
the aging process, these apps can be a good option. They exemplify the
intuitive ease of use and touchscreen capability that Apple products are
known for, and they can help eliminate carrying an extra hearing device.
Although we always recommend having your hearing checked by a qualified
hearing healthcare professional, at least one of these apps may help a
person in a noisy room or help a person with milder hearing loss get by.
Because these apps function as amplifiers, please be aware that the sound
levels may be high and could be harmful to your hearing if not used safely
(see "Maximum Output Sound Levels," page 22). Please also note that the
apps reviewed are for the versions noted; future updates may change some
features.
See page 20 at this URL
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May 2012
Digital hearing aids can do wonders for faded
hearing. But other devices can help, too, as audio technology adds new
options to help people converse at a noisy restaurant, or talk quietly
with a pharmacist at a crowded drugstore counter. Richard Einhorn, a
composer who suddenly lost much of his hearing two years ago, relies on
his hearing aid, of course, for general use. But when he is meeting
friends at a busy coffee shop -- where his hearing aid is not always good
at distinguishing their voices amid the clatter -- he removes it. He has a
better solution. He pops on a pair of in-ear earphones and snaps a
directional mike on his iPhone, which has an app to amplify and process
sound.
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2012
There are
many options for assistive listening technologies. This blog post provides
a comparison between the three technologies used in assistive listening.
There's been a lot of discussion about loop technology for use in
assistive listening. The recent New York Times article "A Hearing Aid That
Cuts Out All The Clatter" points to the many benefits of using induction
loops in theaters, places of worship and other venues. Thus, the purpose
of this blog is to provide a comparison between the three technologies
used in assistive listening.
RF (Radio)
Technology
IR
(Infrared) Technology
Induction
(Loop) Technology
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2011
If we reduce the distance between the sounds we
want to hear and our hearing device microphones, we dramatically improve
SNR and reduce the negative effects of reverberation. The ideal distance
is three to six inches. That's a great ideal, but quite difficult to
implement. Just imagine watching TV with your ear three inches from the
speaker or asking your boss if you can sit on their lap during your annual
review. Kidding aside, let's look at some practical ways to achieve an
optimal sound capture.
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 2011
Mobile devices such as smart phones, tablet
computers, and MP3/iPods can be used as hearing assistive technology
(HAT). The potential uses are continually growing as new apps and updates
are introduced. Current models of mobile devices pick up sound through an
internal microphone or through added external remote microphones. Sound
output is possible through the built-in speaker of the devices or by
connecting transducers, including earphones, earbuds, or telecoils such as
the TecEar Music Link T-coil. The actual devices, when used with
appropriate apps, can enhance or modify the incoming sound or convert it
to a visual signal.
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 2011
The world is full of connectivity-cell phones,
land-line phones, and television media-and people now expect to have
access to communication devices. All technology to connect hearing aid
users to listening devices in the world around them has one major
functional goal: to make the signal of interest louder or easier to
discriminate in the midst of background noise. While telecoils and
amplified TV and phone systems are not new to the hearing instrument
marketplace, hearing instrument digital wireless technology has been
available only for the last several years. The main technological
difference between wireless and older technologies is that wireless
technology functions on a digital protocol, whereas telecoils and older
systems are based on analog transmission. Advantages afforded by digital
wireless technology over analog include a more robust signal, the
possibility to transmit binaurally in stereo, a more favorable
signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and the potential of encoding the signal for
privacy concerns.1 Market research among hearing care professionals and
hearing instrument users, conducted in the United States, France, and
Germany by an independent market research firm, revealed clear advantages
to being able to connect to audio sources with hearing devices. In
particular, responses indicated the most desirable improvements to
increase the market penetration of wireless-enabled hearing instruments
were for television and cell phone usage.1 There are a great number of
solutions available today for improving satisfaction while using the
television and phone, both with and without hearing aids. These solutions
vary in their applicability for the individual patient, so it is necessary
to explore the user's needs when choosing among them.
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2010
Large halls with soaring spaces help create a
sense of the divine in places of worship. While acoustic reflections,
scattering, and long reverberation times may benefit liturgical music,
these features also pose significant challenges for listeners with hearing
impairments. Primary among these challenges are difficulty understanding
the speech of worship leaders and other congregants, hearing the music and
lyrics clearly, and remaining connected to the worship experience. Church
is one of the most commonly identified situations of concern for persons
with hearing loss.1 Thus, places of worship would seem to be amenable
environments to employ assistive listening devices (ALDs).
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2010
Under a new FCC rule, anyone who uses a wireless
microphone that operates in the 700 MHz Band must stop operating their
wireless microphone no later than June 12, 2010. All users of 700 MHz
Band wireless microphones (and similar devices) - including theaters,
churches, schools, conference centers, theme parks, and musicians -- will
need to retune (where possible) or replace their wireless microphone
equipment with other microphone devices no later than June 12, 2010. This
action helps complete an important component of the DTV Transition by
clearing the 700 MHz band to enable the rollout of communications
services for public safety and the deployment of next generation 4G
wireless devices for consumers. For further information, please
visit
the website~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 2008
The "Vibering" consist of two rings and a
wristwatch. The two rings are worn on both hands. They are designed to act
as the ears, by listening for sounds coming from behind, while at the same
time determining the distance and position, and vibrate according to the
source. While the wristwatch collect and identifies the sound wave and
presents the info to the user, the watch surprisingly is also programmed
to listen for specific phrases such as "excuse me", when the user's name
is being called, and most importantly, a car's horn. It certainly helps
the deaf to move around more easily and normally. By the way, the
bracelets look stylish, too. Nobody would think it was a device for the
deaf. However, the release date and price are yet to be known.
Full Story
