What is Hearing Assistive Technology?
Many individuals with hearing loss struggle in noisy environments. Hearing aids or cochlear implants alone may not be enough to overcome effects of noise, background conversation, reverberation and distance.
Hearing Assistive Technology (HATS) are devices that connect to hearing aids and/or cochlear implants to allow for a cleaner sound signal and facilitate clearer understanding and communication.
FM System:
An FM system consists of a microphone that is placed close to a speaker, such as a teacher.
The microphone transmits the speech signal directly into the hearing aids, which minimizes effects of distance, noise and reverberation.
An FM system is particularly useful in settings such as a classroom, which can be a challenging environment for children.
Utilizing an FM system has been shown to facilitate language development, reduce listening fatigue and allow a child to have a greater degree of independence at school.
Loop System:
A loop system works with hearing aids or cochlear implants that have a telecoil.
A copper wire is placed within a large room or theater that connects to a loop driver to a public sound system.
The sound is then wirelessly transmitted into the hearing aids or cochlear implant to allow for cleaner and more direct signal.
Remote Microphone:
Remote microphones wirelessly transmit speech signals directly into the hearing aids.
They allow for a direct audio input that helps to overcome effects of distance, noise and reverberation.
Remote mics have been shown to improve speech understanding in the presence of noise.
They can be clipped to a talker’s clothes or placed on a table to pick up a speech signal.
TV Streamer:
This device allows for TV signal to stream directly into hearing aids.
It helps the individual with hearing loss to listen at a volume that is comfortable without disturbing those around them.
The volume can be adjusted on the TV and on the hearing aids independently.
Amplified/Captioned Telephones:
These allow for individual to use captioning in addition to hearing a speaker on the other end of a phone call.
When an individual makes a phone call (either landline or cell phone), the phone connects to a Captioned Telephone Service (CTS), which uses voice recognition to transcribe what the person on the other end of the line is saying.
These captions appear in almost real-time, allowing the individual utilizing closed captions to follow along without falling behind.
For more information about HATS, call our office!