Category Archives: communication

Assistive Listening Technologies – Present and Future – to Coexist

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COVID-19? Need for Hearing Loops & T-coils

We still need it ALL!  This conclusion came out of the discussions at the World Congress of the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People (IFHOH). The World Congress was held in September 2022 in Budapest, Hungary.

Worldwide, the ongoing challenge is to help those with hearing loss understand and communicate better in background sound, especially in larger venues. This is when hearing aids and cochlear implants (CIs) are typically not enough. So far, hearing loops & telecoils are the universal, wireless way of providing clearer sound signals and of connecting many people to one sound source, such as a speaker.

As the search for new technology is on, all eyes and ears turn towards Bluetooth®. The new buzzword of the World of Hearing Loss is Auracast™.

A different kind of Bluetooth

Auracast ™ is based on a totally different Bluetooth version from what we have in our hearing instruments right now. This has led to many misunderstandings. In the future, people with hearing loss need re-designed and re-engineered hearing aids and CIs that are Auracast-compatible.

Auracast™ is a wireless, universal broadcast audio using Low Energy Bluetooth as a means of transmission. Besides other helpful and innovative features, it will allow for broadcasting from one Auracast-capable sound source to many Auracast-compatible receivers. Such receivers will include hearing aids, CIs, earphones etc.

On a smaller scale, our “Auracast-capable” phones, TVs, pads and computers will act like mini radio stations. And so, many people can listen at the same time to the same phone call, music or podcast with their “Auracast-compatible” hearing aids and CIs.

But how about large venues, such as conference halls and places of worship? Must they be fitted with Auracast-broadcast technology? At what cost?  Obviously, it is a gigantic project to make the world Auracast-accessible and there are many unanswered questions.

One thing is for sure: It will take time, patience and money. Also, we might expect a lengthy transition period. Not everybody will be on board at the same time. This is one of the reasons why present technology will continue to serve us well. We still need it all.

Hearing Now! 

Meanwhile, we all need to hear and understand better now. IFHOH recognizes this by stating that “it is important that the globally used and proven systems of Hearing Loops, FM, IR + Telecoils not be dismissed.”

In its “Budapest Declaration,” IFHOH recommends that hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturers continue to integrate telecoils in their products. “Telecoils need to come with clear user instructions and with clear information and training to the hearing health professionals.“  Also, it will be important for future hearing aids and CIs to include both Telecoil and Auracast™ technologies for some time.

In the end…

Yes, change is coming but it will be a while. For clearer sound in loud places, telecoils and hearing loops are still very much needed. And therefore, assistive listening technologies – present and future – will indeed coexist for quite some time.

Reference: Budapest Declaration.pdf (dropbox.com)

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For information on Hearing Loops and Assistive Technologies, contact us on this website.

Also, visit my website where I post blogs on all sorts of issues concerning hearing loss. https://hearing-loss-talk.com/

 

2022 – The Year for Hearing Loops & Telecoils in Minnesota

Loop Minnesota Posted on by

It is all about “equitable” access

Hearing Loops & Telecoils in Minnesota
Equitable access means that those who need extra accommodation get the help they need. Equal access, or what everybody else gets is often not enough.

For equitable access to communication, those who are hard-of-hearing need boosted sound signals and reduction of background noise in order to hear and understand clearly in noisy venues and businesses. PA (Public Address) systems, 2-way microphone intercoms and even hearing aids are not enough.

Fortunately, the type of technology that facilitates inclusion of the hearing-challenged in lecture rooms, museums, places of worship, convention halls and even at information desks and teller windows exists.

Assistive listening systems made of hearing loops and telecoils can deliver sound clarity beyond one’s wildest dreams. Telecoils, or T-coils are wireless antennas that are installed by the manufacturers in many hearing aids and cochlear implants. They access professionally installed hearing, or induction loops.

Unfortunately, many who could benefit from this technology are not aware of it. Even among hearing specialists there is often bias against it. Do you know if your hearing aids have telecoils? Luckily,  in spite of it all, hearing loops are now in higher demand than ever – in the United States and worldwide.

Back to the old ways? Time for change!

Once COVID simmers down, in-person meetings will be back. Where will that leave Minnesotans with hearing loss? Back to the old struggle of deciphering speech in noise? Back to isolation and depression over feeling excluded?

2022  –  the year of inclusion and equitable access

And so, the time for equitable access to communication for those with hearing loss has arrived. Become involved.

Join Loop Minnesota and let 2022 be the year of hearing loops and telecoils. Let it be the year when Minnesotans learn a lot more about this technology and how it can help communication. Be an advocate for equitable access for yourself and for others. It takes all of us to make a difference because, oh my, there is so much to do in 2022!

Happy Holidays and the Best of Hearing ever in the New Year!!

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To learn more about all sorts of topics on ears and hearing, visit my website at hearing-loss-talk.com

Hearing Loop Solutions for Daily Living

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Hearing Loop Solutions for Daily Living

Small but practical

Traditionally, people think of the installation of pricey hearing loops in large, noisy venues where communication  for those with hearing loss is close to impossible. Here, one might mention meeting/conference rooms in workplaces or in libraries; auditoriums; places of worship; convention halls etc.

But these are not the places where we spend significant amounts of time in daily life. Yet, understanding speech in background noise is an ongoing challenge, especially in smaller groups and during one-on-one conversations, at home or at work.

Earlier, I had mentioned the usefulness of a neckloop and of desk loops for businesses. These desk loops are basically dual intercom systems that can be tied to a hearing loop.

However, I came across some interesting and practical loop ideas while searching for everyday and more affordable applications of loop technology. Remember that telecoils are necessary for tapping into a hearing loop.

Check it out

As always, the links for different products are for information and illustration only, as Loop Minnesota does not favor one manufacturer or distributor over another.

Make sure that you read all the instructions and specifications regarding the equipment. Are any other accessories required, such as amplifiers, batteries or microphones. Discuss your needs, prices and installation details with a specialist. Might it be a good idea to get professional help so that the system is installed correctly?

The mat can be placed on or below a non-metal chair so that one sits in the loop. Or, it can be on the floor in front of a customer service window, for example for people to step into the loop.

Yet, might the mat be a tripping hazard? How about people in wheelchairs or with walkers? These are installation details to be discussed with the representative.

  • Intercom loops for homes, apartment buildings or businesses.

Going to visit friends in an apartment building with a fuzzy intercom? What was that? Wha-whup. I-boo-penny. Instead, it would be nice to hear: Come on up. I’m in two-twenty.

There is help for this:

www.ampetronic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/UP39701-4-HLS-2C-datasheet-interactive-V005.pdf

These are just some examples. There are many more manufacturers and vendors of hearing loop systems. So, where would you like to hear and understand better? I bet there is a loop for that.

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For any questions or suggestions regarding hearing loops, contact us.

Also visit my website: hearing-loss-talk.com where I blog about all sorts of topics related to hearing and hearing loss.

SNR Hearing Loss? Hearing Loops Help

Loop Minnesota Posted on by

SNR Hearing Loss? Hearing Loops Help

What is SNR Hearing Loss?

SNR stands for Signal to Noise Ratio. In the case of hearing loss, the “signal” that is all important is the speech signal. And so, SNR Hearing Loss refers to a most frustrating issue, namely “ the inability to understand speech in background noise.” Speech signals are drowned out by competing sounds and the more hearing loss a person has the more garbled speech becomes.

“SNR Hearing Loss,” is an expression that is used more commonly nowadays and therefore it must be introduced into the vocabulary of those with hearing loss. In a way, an old familiar problem gets a name.

SNR Hearing Tests

SNR losses tell by how much the speech signal must be raised over background din for speech to be understood. Audiologists can actually measure SNR losses with tests that go beyond the standard tests that are usually performed in a quiet or even soundproof place. Such a scenario obviously does not reflect the realities of everyday life.

During these tests, the patient repeats short sentences against increasing levels of competing background sound. The resulting scores tell the hearing specialist how much loss there is and what type of help the patient needs. The aim is to bring the SNR into a range that makes it easier to understand speech in noise.

Often, the frustration for patients is that even perfectly tuned hearing aid features are not powerful enough to boost the SNR in noisy places. In those cases, other hearing strategies and/or assistive technology are needed, such as the use of an auxiliary microphone.

Certainly, the background noise can be lowered or even turned off but in most cases that is not possible. One can get close enough to face a conversation partner in order to lip-or speechread, which is not very practical in large venues. And now, COVID safety practices do not allow for that approach.

Hearing loops help

The nature of hearing loops is that they greatly reduce background sound and even eliminate it. Only what goes into a speaker’s microphone goes into the telecoils in hearing aids or implanted devices.

The sound signal of a correctly installed hearing loop is even and a lot clearer and stronger than what hearing aids might deliver. With a loop it does not matter how far away the telecoil user is from the speaker. In a looped area anybody with telecoils – in hearing instruments or in portable devices – can listen without strain or struggle. Even people with severe hearing losses report greatly improved listening experiences in looped venues.

Time to learn and to be included in conversations

As COVID-19 winds down ever so slowly and society opens up, people with hearing loss do not want to be left out and isolated again. This is a good time to learn about Loop technology and to advocate for the installation of hearing loops in places where we need to hear and understand better: Library lecture rooms; places of worship; event halls; courts of law etc.

And so, there is no time like the present to work on getting into the loop and to create our communication future.

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For any questions or suggestions regarding hearing loops, contact us.

Also visit my website: hearing-loss-talk.com where I blog about all sorts of topics related to hearing and hearing loss.

COVID Homebound? Learn About Neckloops

Loop Minnesota Posted on by

Learn About Neckloops

Got telecoils in the hearing aids but no loop at home with which to use them? Learn about the induction neckloop, which could be a very helpful tool for those who do not have Bluetooth hearing aid connectivity for streaming over short distances.

What is a neckloop?

A basic, non-amplified neckloop is a miniature version of a large loop, such as a room loop. It is an electrical wire that is worn unobtrusively around the neck, under a shirt maybe. It has a plug that connects to different sound sources, such as personal FM amplifiers, phones, MP3 players, laptops, TV etc.

The sound source energizes the loop wire. Users activate the telecoils by switching the hearing aids or cochlear implants into T-mode or T/M mode. The telecoils tap into the magnetic field generated around the wire and pick up the refined audio signal for much clearer listening.

Of course, there are all sorts of assistive devices on the market. However, at a cost of less than $50, I find that my neckloop (pictured above) was a good investment. When I do Zoom presentations, the loop is plugged into the laptop headphone jack. It is invisible to the audience and so is the wireless communication between the neckloop and the hearing aid Telecoil. Discussions that all too often take place in low-quality sound environments become a lot easier to follow.

Complexity and compatibility

More advanced neckloop versions incorporate a microphone and amplifier button or wheel. These are often referred to amplified or powered neckloops. They cost more than the basic version and the larger mic/amplifier portion is visible. But they do have their advantages.

People who use such loops regularly for easier communication, especially at work, share that they are great for one-on-one communication, while being socially distanced. An amplified/powered neckloop could be quite helpful at the doctor’s or lawyer’s office or when visiting with a friend. They also facilitate hands-free telephone conversations that will be heard in both ears if the user has two hearing aids with telecoils.

Amplified/power neckloops must be matched to the devices and phones to which they will connect. Compatibility is key and so it is important that the correct connector cables are provided or purchased. Read the fine print!

Making the most of the devices that we have

People with hearing loss know that change is constant, especially when it comes to changes in hearing technology. Yet, it does not always have to terribly expensive and over-the-top complicated. For the price, neckloops can help us make the best of all sorts of hearing gadgets that we have already stashed around the house.

Do some research. Look at the websites of the many companies that deal with this technology, such as these local providers:

harriscomm.com

williamsav.com

Also, talk to the audiologist about neckloop options and assistive listening devices (ALDs).

However, for any loops to work, we must remind audiologists that we need telecoils in our hearing aids and cochlear implants – tuned to our hearing loss and activated.

And so, spend a few moments googling the topic because in the World of Hearing Loss learning never stops. Contact us at loopminnesota.org to learn more.

Disclaimer: Any web addresses or links are provided for information and illustration only. The author and Loop Minnesota do not favor one manufacturer, supplier or company over another