Do you know what a cyborg is? If your mind gets swept up in science fiction movies, you most likely think of cyborgs as kind of half-human, half machine characters (the human condition is often cleverly portrayed with these characters). Hollywood cyborgs can seem extremely bizarre.
But the reality is that, technically, anybody who wears a pair of glasses could be considered a cyborg. The glasses, after all, are a technology that has been incorporated into biology.
The human experience is usually enhanced using these technologies. So you’re actually the coolest type of cyborg in the world if you’re using an assistive listening device. And there’s a lot more technology where that comes from.
Disadvantages of hearing loss
There are absolutely some drawbacks that come with hearing loss.
It’s difficult to keep up with the plot when you go see a movie. Understanding your grandchildren is even harder (some of that is because of the age-gap, but for the most part, it’s hearing loss). And this can affect your life in very profound (often negative) ways.
The world can become really quiet if your hearing loss is disregarded. This is where technology comes in.
How can technology alleviate hearing loss?
“Assistive listening device” is the broad category that any device which helps you hear better is put into. Ok, it does sound somewhat technical! The question might arise: exactly what are assistive listening devices? Where can I buy assistive listening devices? What challenges will I face?
Those are all reasonable questions!
Mostly, we’re accustomed to thinking of technology for hearing loss in a very monolithic way: hearing aids. Because hearing aids are a crucial part of managing hearing loss, that’s reasonable. But they’re also just the beginning, there are numerous types of assistive hearing devices. And, used correctly, these hearing devices can help you more fully enjoy the world around you.
What types of assistive listening devices are there?
Induction loops
Induction loops, also called hearing loops, utilize technology that sounds quite complex. This is what you need to know: areas with hearing loops are usually well marked with signage and they can help individuals with hearing aids hear more clearly, even in noisy settings.
Essentially, hearing loops use magnetic fields to make a speaker’s voice more clear. Here are some examples of when an induction loop can be beneficial:
- Places with inferior acoustic qualities like echoes.
- Lobbies, waiting rooms, and other loud settings.
- Events that rely on amplified sound (including presentations or even movies).
FM systems
An FM hearing assistance system works much like a radio or a walkie-talkie. In order for this system to work, you need two elements: a transmitter (usually a microphone or sound system) and a receiver (often in the form of a hearing aid). FM systems are great for:
- Anywhere that is loud and noisy, particularly where that noise makes it challenging to hear.
- An event where amplified sound is used, including music from a speaker or sound at a movie.
- Courtrooms and other government or civil places.
- Education situations, like classrooms or conferences.
Infrared systems
There are similarities between an infrared system and an FM system. It’s composed of a receiver and an amplifier. Typically, the receiver is worn around the neck with an IR system. IR hearing assistance systems are great for:
- People who have cochlear implants or hearing aids.
- Inside environments. IR systems are frequently impacted by strong sunlight. Because of this, indoor settings are generally the best ones for this type of technology.
- When you’re listening to one primary person speaking.
Personal amplifiers
Personal amplifiers are sort of like hearing aids, but less specialized and less powerful. In general, they feature a microphone and a speaker. The microphone picks up sounds and amplifies them through a speaker. Personal amplifiers come in several different styles and types, which may make them a challenging possible solution.
- You need to be careful, though, these devices can hasten the decline of your hearing, especially if you aren’t careful. (You’re essentially putting a super loud speaker right in your ear, after all.)
- For individuals who only need amplification in specific circumstances or have very slight hearing loss, these devices would be a practical choice.
- Before you use any kind of personal amplifier, talk to us about it first.
Amplified phones
Phones and hearing aids don’t always get along swimmingly. Sometimes you have feedback, sometimes things get a little garbled, sometimes you can’t have a hard time getting the volume quite right.
Amplified phones are a solution. Depending on the situation, these phones allow you to control how loud the speaker is. Here are some things that these devices are good for:
- Families where the phone is used by several people.
- Individuals who only have a difficult time understanding or hearing conversations on the phone.
- People who don’t have their phone connected to their Bluetooth hearing aid (or who don’t have Bluetooth offered on either their hearing aids or their primary telephone).
Alerting devices
When something is going on, these devices (sometimes called signalers or notification devices) use loud noises, vibrations, and blinking lights to get your attention. When the microwave bings, the doorbell dings, or the phone rings, for instance. This means even if you aren’t using your hearing aids, you’ll still be alert when something around your home or office requires your attention.
Alerting devices are a good option for:
- Situations where lack of attention could be dangerous (for example, when a smoke alarm sounds).
- When you take breaks from your hearing aids.
- Anybody whose hearing is totally or nearly totally gone.
- Home and office settings.
Telecoils
Again, we come back to the sometimes frustrating connection between your telephone and your hearing aid. When you put a speaker up to another speaker, it creates feedback (sometimes painful feedback). When you hold a hearing aid close to a phone, the same thing happens.
A telecoil is a way to get around that connection. You will be capable of hearing all of your calls without feedback as your telecoil links your hearing aid directly to your phone. They’re good for:
- People who have hearing aids.
- Those who don’t have access to Bluetooth hearing aids or phones.
- Individuals who talk on the phone frequently.
Captioning
Nowadays, it has become fairly commonplace for people to utilize captions and subtitles to enjoy media. Everybody uses captions! Why? Because they make it a little easier to understand what you’re watching.
For individuals who have hearing loss, captions will help them be able to understand what they’re watching even with noisy conversations around them and can work together with their hearing aids so they can hear dialog even when it’s mumbled.
The advantages of using assistive listening devices
So, now your biggest question might be: where can I get assistive listening devices? This question implies a recognition of the benefits of these technologies for individuals who use hearing aids.
Clearly, every person won’t be benefited by every kind of technology. For example, you may not need an amplifier if you have a phone with good volume control. If you don’t have the right type of hearing aid, a telecoil may be useless to you.
The point is that you have possibilities. You can customize the kind of amazing cyborg you want to be (and you will be amazing, we promise)–so that you can get the most out of life. It’s time to get back into that conversation with your grandchildren.
Hearing Assistive Technology can help you hear better in certain situations but not all. If you’re interested in hearing better, call us today!
