Technology Technology for Hearing for Hearing

ImpairmentsImpairments

StatisticsStatisticsBetween 21 and 28 million Americans Between 21 and 28 million Americans are affected by a hearing impairment. are affected by a hearing impairment.

1 out of 10 Americans have a hearing 1 out of 10 Americans have a hearing impairment. impairment.

60% of persons over the age of 65 have 60% of persons over the age of 65 have a hearing impairment. a hearing impairment.

Hearing impairment is considered a Hearing impairment is considered a hidden disability. hidden disability.

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DefinitionsDefinitionsHard of Hearing (some degree of Hard of Hearing (some degree of residual hearing). residual hearing).

Deafness (very little hearing; difficulty Deafness (very little hearing; difficulty in acquiring language) in acquiring language)

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Challenges faced with Challenges faced with acquired before 2 years acquired before 2 years

of ageof ageIsolation from normal means of learning Isolation from normal means of learning language. language.

Lack of linguistic frame of reference for Lack of linguistic frame of reference for learning to speak, write and read learning to speak, write and read

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Common problems Common problems experienced by persons experienced by persons

with hearing with hearing impairmentsimpairmentsDifficulty discriminating between Difficulty discriminating between

background noise and the speaker background noise and the speaker

Difficulty filtering out the reverberated Difficulty filtering out the reverberated sounds from the direct signal sounds from the direct signal

Difficulty with speech discrimination and a Difficulty with speech discrimination and a decrease in signal-to-noise ratio when the decrease in signal-to-noise ratio when the distances between the speaker and listener distances between the speaker and listener increases increases

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Types of AT for Hearing Types of AT for Hearing ImpairmentsImpairments

Assisted Listening DevicesAssisted Listening Devices

Telecommunications devices for persons Telecommunications devices for persons who are deafwho are deaf

Alerting DevicesAlerting Devices

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ADLsADLs

Assisted Listening Assisted Listening DevicesDevices

Any aid or device that helps the Any aid or device that helps the person to detect sound that he or she person to detect sound that he or she might otherwise miss because of their might otherwise miss because of their hearing impairment. Probably the hearing impairment. Probably the most common assisted listening most common assisted listening device -and the one we are most device -and the one we are most familiar with - is a hearing aid. Other familiar with - is a hearing aid. Other ALDs include devices that alter the ALDs include devices that alter the frequency of telephone or doorbell frequency of telephone or doorbell alarms to accommodate a high or low alarms to accommodate a high or low frequency hearing loss and infrared, frequency hearing loss and infrared, radio frequency (sound familiar?), or radio frequency (sound familiar?), or induction loop systems.induction loop systems.

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Hearing AidsHearing Aids

Most popular and most commonly used ALDMost popular and most commonly used ALD

Problems:Problems:hearing aids cannot always discriminate between hearing aids cannot always discriminate between foreground and background sounds foreground and background sounds these devices have difficulty separating one voice these devices have difficulty separating one voice from others in noisy environment from others in noisy environment persons using hearing aids report difficulties persons using hearing aids report difficulties focusing on one sound in an environment to the focusing on one sound in an environment to the exclusion of others. exclusion of others. echos and reverberations cause specific problems echos and reverberations cause specific problems for persons with hearing impairments who use for persons with hearing impairments who use hearing aids hearing aids About Hearing Aids - About Hearing Loss - Boys Town National Research Hospital99

What is a hearing What is a hearing aid?aid?

A hearing aid is an electronic, battery-A hearing aid is an electronic, battery-operated device that amplifies and operated device that amplifies and changes sound to allow for improved changes sound to allow for improved communication. communication.

Hearing aids receive sound through a Hearing aids receive sound through a microphone, which then converts the microphone, which then converts the sound waves to electrical signals. The sound waves to electrical signals. The amplifier increases the loudness of the amplifier increases the loudness of the signals and then sends the sound to the signals and then sends the sound to the ear through a speaker.ear through a speaker.

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Choosing a Choosing a Hearing AidHearing AidSelection will greatly depend on the nature Selection will greatly depend on the nature

and extent of your hearing loss and the size and extent of your hearing loss and the size and shape of the outer ear and canal and shape of the outer ear and canal

Some conditions (i.e. ear drainage) may Some conditions (i.e. ear drainage) may prevent a person from wearing hearing aids prevent a person from wearing hearing aids that block the ear or canal that block the ear or canal

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Sound Field Sound Field SystemsSystems

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Hardwired or Hardwired or Wireless?Wireless?

Hardwired systems tether the individual Hardwired systems tether the individual to the amplification devices to the amplification devices

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Hardwired or Hardwired or Wireless?Wireless?Advantages of a hardwired ALD:Advantages of a hardwired ALD:

this is an alternative amplification system for the person this is an alternative amplification system for the person with a hearing aid with a hearing aid good for providing temporary amplification (watching TV good for providing temporary amplification (watching TV in a noisy environment) in a noisy environment) good for one-to-one communication (the speaker can good for one-to-one communication (the speaker can have the microphone and place it directly before their have the microphone and place it directly before their mouth, increasing the volume of the specific sound mouth, increasing the volume of the specific sound source -their voice) source -their voice) portability (easy to carry and connect to a variety of portability (easy to carry and connect to a variety of device) device) lower cost lower cost easier to use that other ALDs (hardwired systems often easier to use that other ALDs (hardwired systems often do not require much training to operate) do not require much training to operate)

Disadvantages of a hardwired ALD:Disadvantages of a hardwired ALD:the location and positioning of wires may be troublesome the location and positioning of wires may be troublesome the person using a hardwired system has limited seating the person using a hardwired system has limited seating options (they can only sit in certain locations to directly options (they can only sit in certain locations to directly connect to the sound source) connect to the sound source)

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Hardwired or Hardwired or Wireless?Wireless?

Hardwired systems tether the individual Hardwired systems tether the individual to the amplification devices to the amplification devices

The second general type of ALD, a The second general type of ALD, a wireless system, allows the user more wireless system, allows the user more access to their environment because access to their environment because the devices are not tethered. the devices are not tethered.

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Induction Loop Induction Loop SystemsSystems

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FM SystemsFM Systems

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Infrared SystemsInfrared Systems

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Wireless Adv. and Wireless Adv. and Disadv.Disadv.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Advantages and Disadvantages of Wireless systemsWireless systems

An Overview of Assistive Listening Systems

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Telecommunication Telecommunication and Alerting and Alerting

DevicesDevices

TelecommunicatioTelecommunication Technologyn Technology

Amplification devicesAmplification devices

Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD)(TDD)

Telephone Relay ServicesTelephone Relay Services

Alerting DevicesAlerting Devices

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Amplification Amplification DevicesDevices

Amplified HandsetsAmplified Handsets

Modular AmplifiersModular Amplifiers

Portable AmplifiersPortable Amplifiers

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TDDsTDDsTTYs: (TDDs as they are now called) use TTYs: (TDDs as they are now called) use text to communicate over standard text to communicate over standard telephone lines. telephone lines.

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TTY EtiquetteTTY EtiquetteFAQs and General TTY Etiquette Tips for New Users of the TTY---Some of the tips suggested are similar to new users of E-mail which many more deaf and hh persons are using in favor of the TTY

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Telephone Relay Telephone Relay ServicesServices

allow a user with a TDD to communicate allow a user with a TDD to communicate with persons or businesses that do not with persons or businesses that do not have these devices. All relay services have these devices. All relay services are subsidized by a small fee included are subsidized by a small fee included in standard phone line services. in standard phone line services.

Payphone Relay Service

Telecommunications Relay Services

IP Relay Service

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Alerting DevicesAlerting DevicesAn alerting device is any aid or device An alerting device is any aid or device that alerts a person with a hearing that alerts a person with a hearing impairment to the environmental impairment to the environmental sounds that are typically conveyed sounds that are typically conveyed through auditory means. through auditory means.

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Alerting Device Alerting Device FeaturesFeatures

Detect to an environmental soundDetect to an environmental sound

Convert to soundConvert to sound

Signal the personSignal the person

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Some examples of alerting devices include:Some examples of alerting devices include:

sounds converted to visual stimulus sounds converted to visual stimulus flashing lights, strobe light, colored light flashing lights, strobe light, colored light on/off on/off

sounds converted into tactile stimulus sounds converted into tactile stimulus vibration, fan, heater vibration, fan, heater

Sound modifications Sound modifications changing a high frequency sound to a low changing a high frequency sound to a low frequency sound or vice versa frequency sound or vice versa

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DevicesDevicesClocks and alarm systemsClocks and alarm systems

Clocks & Wake Up Alarm Systems for deaf and hard of hearing

Warning devices and detectorsWarning devices and detectors

Warning Devices for deaf and hard of hearing

Loud phone ringersLoud phone ringers

Phone Ringers for deaf and hard of hearing

Other alarm systemsOther alarm systems

http://www.globalassistive.com/watches.html

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