cdaigle430

This is interesting, I think I'll ask the VA if they can supply me with a hearing aid's that can use this new system. Anyway, I think it has reall possibilities-what do you guys think?

NYT: A hearing aid that cuts out the clatter - Health - Aging - msnbc.com

Deafness

__________________
This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on AllDeaf.com

Bottesini

Hearing loops? They have those everywhere in England, and I think they are not noted for being really great.

__________________

cmdrwhitewolf

The article in the link seems to talk about Loops not a new hearing aid. Is this the wrong link?

__________________
- White Wolf

cdaigle430

Sorry, for my current provided hearing aids the VA disabled the fm transmitter or they ordered them without from Phonak. I get issued new ones every 4 years or so and I'm hoping the next ones they give me will have the fm transmitter enabled.

Even if the loop was available here or it worked well I woulnt be able to use it with the current HA I have.

LoveBlue

T-coils have been around for a looooong time. Though today's HAs may or may not have them in them and US Audies do not seem to want to tell their patients about them. Even if you have the t-coil in your HAs, finding venues that have loops in the US is going to be very hard. HLAA and LoopAmerica LoopAmerica, induction hearing loop services, Michigan are tryiing to change this and get more venues looped.

I have used a neckloop and though it's not perfect (move the head the wrong way and you loose the signal), it's better than nothing. Before I got the iCom with my new HAs, I used a neckloop at church with the FM system (plugged the neckloop into the FM receiver) which enabled me to hear even from the back of the church.

When I buy my house, I may look into "looping" it.

__________________
Severe-to-profound hearing loss in both ears.
SD @ 100db L-88% / R-96% - unaided
Phonak Naida IX UPs

Babyblue

The loop is installed in the floors, not in hearing aids. Interesting..but the reality how many people will tear their floors up to make it accessable to people that could use it? People already have a hard time making places do something as simple as getting an Interpretor or Turning on the CC to make things accessable to us.

cdaigle430

Thanks-looks like I need to read up on this because this is the first time I've heard of it. So far it looks like those in England don't think highly of them.

SneakerNet

I made an inductive coil or "loop" long time ago, that I brought an amplifier from Heath Kit catalog...(Don't you remember that name?) and I made an wooden frame, about the size of 2 feet in diameter. Then I use 20 gauge wire to wrapped around the wooden spool few times. That coil tossed under the couch, then I connect those wires to the amplifier I made and that amplifier plugged to my TV "headphone" jack. It work very well with my t-coil hearing aid. I can adjusted my own volume right out of the amp. That was back in 1976 or 1977. So, it been around like this for long time. I'll have to look for it in the attic... will take a pix.

__________________
No trees were harmed in the sending of this email; however, many electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

Jazzberry

I helped my HLAA chapter select and install a hearing loop that we donated to a NYC branch library. I love it. Many people that use it at our monthly meetings love it also. The technology may be old but its still excellent! As technology for the HH goes, its very cost effective and easy to maintain. It is much less expensive to install and maintain than FM or infared systems. That is one of the reasons why David Myers (mentioned upthread) has worked so hard to try to make this technology more popular in the US.

I'm happy that the NYTs wrote about this -- some of my friends have said that many people have approached them after reading the article and said that they will ask their audiologists to sell them HAs with telecoils the next time they purchase a pair. Since many audiologists are reluctant to take the time to explain hearing loop technology to their customers and as a result usually choose not to have the optional telecoil installed in HAs that they sell -- this is GREAT news.

Actually, I think it may be possible for telecoils to be added to HAs already owned depending upon their size and the brand. This does involve returning the aids to the manufacturer and obviously costs more than getting them included in the HAs in the first place.


I've always had good experiences with them, so I do find that surprising.

No. I think the journalist didn't really understand what he was writing about so the article was not as clear as it could have been. A NYTs blogger also wrote about this the next day and I think he or she did a better job:

A Clear Channel for the Hearing-Impaired - NYTimes.com

No name unfortunately -- I would like to know who the author was.


FM and induction loop (another name for hearing loop) technology are two different things. Hearing loop technology is potentially much less expensive per person. However, unless you are using a very small portable one that you set up and take with you, you are dependent upon the other person or business to purchase and maintain most of the components of the hearing loop system.

The only thing you need are the telecoils in your hearing aids. Alternatively, you can purchase an induction loop receiver and place the headphones over your ears, or hearing aids if the HAs are programmed not to cause feedback.

Telecoils in the HAs are better than a separate induction loop receiver used with headsets.

Also, FWIW, the induction loop receivers at our library pick up a hum that most HA users with telecoils don't hear. I think that is because the audiologists have programmed the HAs not to hear that particular frequency that EMFs are known to "hum" at. Unfortunately the receivers I know about were not designed to do that. Perhaps there are better brands that do so.

Although some schools and movie theatres use FM systems, it is more common for FM systems to be smaller systems sold to individuals who hand their own microphone and transmitter over to whomever they are interested in listening to. So one advantage of some FM systems is that the HA user who owns one is not dependent upon another business or person to have part of the FM system installed.

Often people have the option to use both FM and telecoils simultaneously.

I can explain how both systems work and how hybrid systems work if anyone is interested -- but for now I just want to make it clear that this is two different technologies. You can use a hearing loop without using an FM system.

HAs vary by brand in how strong their telecoils are. If your HA telecoil isn't strong you may prefer to use a silhouette instead of a neckloop. Here's an example: link

You can get single instead of dual silouettes also.


The good thing about hearing loops is that after they are purchased and installed -- it costs almost nothing to use them. The bad thing about hearing loops is that they are only useful to HH people and can't be used by anyone who has no residual hearing.

Loops can be very easy to install. The library where my HLAA chapter's donated system was installed has acoustic ceiling tiles. It was just a matter of temporarily removing the tiles near the walls and running the wire right above where the tile ceiling was installed. The difficulty level was probably somewhere in between changing light bulbs and connecting a computer to a printer by by cable.

If the room that needs a loop doesn't happen to have acoustic ceiling tiles (extremely common in most office and school buildings) -- most people don't notice wiring run along the edge of ceiling or floor moldings.

That's great! And for people who aren't handy you can get ready made kits to set up yourself.

I have heard that some people have set up this system in their cars as cars are usually very difficult places for most people to hear their passengers.

__________________
I was a mainstreamed "solitaire". I'm currently learning ASL. My hearing loss ranges from moderate to profound; my audiogram and speech discrimination are posted here.

cdaigle430

Thanks for the write up-you clarified alot for me Does anyone know where I can get a Do it yourself kit for my home? I may also ask if the company I work for can install these in our boardrooms and\or my cubicle are.

LoveBlue

Google "Induction Loop" and you'll find some places that sell them. Also check out LoopAmerica, induction hearing loop services, Michigan

__________________
Severe-to-profound hearing loss in both ears.
SD @ 100db L-88% / R-96% - unaided
Phonak Naida IX UPs

Jazzberry

If its just for yourself, you may only need to loop your chair with a portable loop pad that you sit on.

Univox DLS-50 Home Loop System

If you want to be able to walk around, then you will probably want to loop the room.

Harris Communications sells some hearing loop products also, including some portable ones:
Large Area FM Listening - Shop Hearing Assistive Devices for Hearing Impaired in Auditoriums, Churches, Courtrooms, Stadiums Products for Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Sign Language

There is a Yahoo Group for telecoils and hearing loops:
Yahoo! Groups

==

If you want the ability to mic more than one person in a meeting you may want to look into a multichannel FM system. ( It can be tricky selecting the right channels.)

If your meetings are small, a one channel FM system with a good conference mic can work.

If there is more than one HH person in your company than I think its worth looking into how to make a combination FM/induction loop system. If you are the only one who will be using it, than you just need an FM system.

ETA: If you want to use a multi-channel FM system on a budget -- you can look into companies that target musicians that play in bands as a hobby.

__________________
I was a mainstreamed "solitaire". I'm currently learning ASL. My hearing loss ranges from moderate to profound; my audiogram and speech discrimination are posted here.