What is a cyborg? You likely imagine a half human, half machine when you think about cyborgs, especially if you enjoy science fiction movies (the human condition is frequently cleverly portrayed with these characters). Hollywood cyborgs can seem extremely bizarre.
But the truth is that, technically, anyone who wears a pair of glasses could be considered a cyborg. After all, biology has been upgraded with technology.
These technologies typically add to the human experience. So, if you’re using an assistive listening device, such as a hearing aid, you’re the coolest type of cyborg anywhere. And there’s a lot more technology where that comes from.
Hearing loss drawbacks
Hearing loss undeniably comes with some negatives.
It’s hard to follow the plot when you go see a movie. It’s even more challenging to understand what your grandkids are talking about (part of this is because you have no idea what K-pop is, and you never will, but mostly it’s because of hearing loss). And this can affect your life in very profound (often negative) ways.
Left untreated, the world can get pretty quiet. That’s where technology plays a role.
How can hearing loss be addressed with technology?
“Assistive listening device” is the general category that any device which helps your hearing is put into. That sounds pretty technical, right? The question might arise: exactly what are assistive listening devices? Where can I get assistive listening devices? What challenges will I face?
These questions are all standard.
Typically, hearing aids are what we think of when we think about hearing aid technology. That’s logical, as hearing aids are an essential part of dealing with hearing loss. But hearing aids aren’t the only type of assistive hearing device. And you will be capable of enjoying the world around you more when you correctly use these devices.
What kinds of assistive listening devices are there?
Induction loops
Sometimes called a “hearing loop,” the technology behind an induction loop sounds pretty complex (there are electromagnetic fields involved). Here are the basics: people who wear hearing aids can hear more clearly in locations with a hearing loop which are usually well marked with signage.
Essentially, hearing loops use magnetic fields to make a speaker’s voice more clear. Induction loops are great for:
- Presentations, movies, or other events that rely on amplification.
- Spots that tend to have lots of echoes or have poor acoustics.
- Venues that tend to be noisy (including waiting rooms or hotel lobbies).
FM systems
An FM hearing assistance system works a lot like a radio or a walkie-talkie. In order for this system to function, you need two components: a transmitter (normally a microphone or sound system) and a receiver (often in the form of a hearing aid). FM systems are useful for:
- Conferences, classrooms, and other educational activities.
- Whenever it’s hard to hear due to a noisy environment.
- An event where amplified sound is being used, including music from a speaker or sound at a movie.
- Civil and governmental locations (for instance, in courtrooms).
Infrared systems
An infrared system is a lot like an FM system. It’s composed of a receiver and an amplifier. Typically, the receiver is worn around the neck with an IR system. Here are some examples where IR systems can be helpful:
- When you’re listening to one primary person speaking.
- Inside environments. IR systems are often impacted by strong sunlight. Because of this, inside settings are generally the best ones for this sort of technology.
- People who wear hearing aids or cochlear implants.
Personal amplifiers
Personal amplifiers are like less specialized and less robust versions of a hearing aid. In general, they consist of a microphone and a speaker. The sound is being amplified through the speakers after being picked up by the microphone. Personal amplifiers come in a few different styles and types, which could make them a confusing possible solution.
- For individuals who only require amplification in certain circumstances or have very mild hearing loss, these devices would be a practical choice.
- You need to be careful, though, these devices can expedite the decline of your hearing, particularly if you aren’t careful. (You’re essentially putting an extremely loud speaker right inside of your ear, after all.)
- For best results, talk to us before using personal amplifiers of any kind.
Amplified phones
Hearing aids and phones sometimes have difficulty with one another. Sometimes there’s feedback, sometimes things get a little garbled, sometimes you can’t have a hard time getting the volume quite right.
One solution for this is an amplified phone. Depending on the circumstance, these phones let you control how loud the speaker is. These devices are good for:
- 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 principal telephone).
- When somebody has difficulty hearing phone conversations but hears fine in other circumstances.
- When multiple people in a home use a single phone.
Alerting devices
When something happens, these devices (sometimes called signalers or notification devices) use loud noises, vibrations, and blinking lights to get your attention. For example, when the doorbell dings, the phone rings, or the microwave bings. This means even if you aren’t wearing your hearing aids, you’ll still be aware when something around your home or office requires your consideration.
Alerting devices are a good option for:
- Anybody whose hearing is totally or nearly totally gone.
- When you take breaks from your hearing aids.
- When alarm sounds such as a smoke detector could lead to a dangerous situation.
- When in the office or at home.
Telecoils
Again, we come back to the sometimes frustrating connection between your telephone and your hearing aid. When you hold a speaker up to another speaker, it produces feedback (sometimes painful feedback). When you put a hearing aid next to a phone, the same thing occurs.
A telecoil is a way to bypass that connection. It will link up your hearing aid to your phone directly, so you can hear all of your conversations without noise or feedback. They’re good for:
- Those who do not have access to Bluetooth hearing aids or phones.
- Anybody who regularly talks on the phone.
- Anybody who uses hearing aids.
Captioning
These days, it has become fairly commonplace for people to utilize captions and subtitles to enjoy media. You will find captions just about everywhere! Why? Because they make it a little bit easier to understand what you’re watching.
For people who have hearing loss, captions will help them be able to comprehend what they’re watching even with loud conversations around them and can work together with their hearing aids so they can hear dialog even when it’s mumbled.
What are the advantages of using assistive listening devices?
So where can you get assistive listening devices? This question indicates a recognition of the benefits of these technologies for individuals who use hearing aids.
To be sure, not every solution is right for every individual. For example, you might not need an amplifier if you have a phone with reliable volume control. A telecoil may not even work for you if you don’t have the right kind of hearing aid.
But you have options and that’s really the point. After you begin customizing your journey toward being an awesome cyborg, you will be ready to get the most out of your life. It’s time to get back into that conversation with your grandchildren.
Hearing Assistive Technology can help you hear better in specific situations but not all. If you’re interested in hearing better, call us today!