ALD Introduction







Why do we need Assistive Listening?
User Interface Options
Transmission Options
Examples of ALDs and ALSs
Finding and Using ALDs and ALSs
Latest Stuff
Recommendations
1
Why We Need ALDs
 Hearing Aids and CIs Best in Quiet and Close
 Not so good at a distance
 Not so good in noise
 Not so good when sounds bounce around
 ALDs can solve those “Big Three” problems





2
Bring the sound you want to hear right to your ears
Eliminate or at least reduce the noise
Eliminate the reverberation (bounced sound)
Minimize the loss of signal from conversion
Make a HUGE difference in how much you understand
The Big Three
 Distance
 Double the distance; QUADRUPLE the loss
 Varies with frequency (highs don’t “travel” well)
 Noise
 What you want to hear is easy to lose in the din
 The “signal to noise” ratio matters
 Reverberation
 Even without noise, sound you want to hear gets
“spread out” as it bounces around the room
 Hear the “straight line” first, but then delayed versions
of the same thing at lower volume.
3
Reverberation
Reverberation and echos
reduce speech intelligibility
4
Hearing Your Best









The TV from Across the Room
On the Phone
In the car
Your Friends at Dinner
At the Museum
At the Movies
At a Play
In a Noisy Restaurant
Other Audio Sources
 Radios
 Music Players
 iPods
5
Hearing Aids and CIs
 Hearing aids and CIs have
microphones for Input
 microphones hear everything
 Background noise
 Reverberation
 Poor quality signal after distance.
 Some hearing aids and CIs have
other input options
6
Other Input Paths
The following input paths can be used instead of or
in addition to the hearing aid or CI’s microphones.
 Magnetic
 Analog Telecoil
 Digital Near Field Magnet Input (NFMI)
 Direct Audio Input (DAI)
 FM Receivers
 Boot
 Embedded
By having access to these alternatives, you can
choose how to hear best in every situation.
Get your audiologist to set up your programs and
explain how to use them
7
Interface Options




Headphones (no Hearing Aids or Cis or telecoils)
Headphones (with telecoils in Hearing Aids or Cis)
Earbuds (usually only works without hearing aids)
Neckloops
 Standard Analog (to telecoils)
 Near Field Magnetic Interface (NFMI) … digital
induction
 Silhouettes (to telecoils)
 FM
 Boots (to DAI)
 Embedded
 Patch cord (to DAI)
8
Personal Amplifiers
 Pocketalker (or similar)
 Wired
 Connect Via




Neckloop
Silhouettes
DAI
Headphones
 ~$140
9
Personal FM Solutions
• Transmit sound from transmitter to receiver by
FM radio.
• Directional Microphones
• You choice of Interface
10
Personal IR Solutions
• Transmit sound from transmitter to receiver by
Infrared light.
• Directional Microphones
• Some let you choose interface
• Mostly for TV (not very portable)
11
Personal Loops
• Room loops
– TV
– Computer
• Chairpad loops
• Tableloops
12
Bluetooth
• Bluetooth uses a digital signal to communicate
between a pendant and paired audio sources
• It can be “two-way” so it can work with
phones both in and out
• Transmission/receiving done in pairs; not a
“broadcast”
• Digitally encoded, so it’s private
• Your Bluetooth device can “remember” several
different pairings and reconnect automatically
• Only connects with one paired device at a time
13
Bluetooth
• So far, there are no Bluetooth Hearing Aid or CIs
• Bluetooth loopsets can connect you to phones (and TVs, iPods, Tablets,
Computers and remote mics)
• Bluetooth to Device
– Standard Bluetooth
•
•
•
– NFMI
•
Oticon
•
•
•
•
Phonak
•
14
Standard Analog Magnetic to
Hearing Aids/Cis
Advantages
• Cheap
• Not Proprietary
Disadvantages
• Bilateral but Mono
• Possible EMI (interference)
Bluetooth to Device
NFMI Magnetic to Hearing
Aids/CIs
Advantages
• Some are True Stereo
• No Interference
Disadvantages
• More Expensive
• Proprietary
Bluetooth NFMI
Bluetooth Analog
Bluetooth
• Good
–
–
–
–
Relatively cheap
Some are Integrated with remote controls
Some are true stereo
No Electromagnetic Interferences (unlike regular
telecoils)
• Possible issues
–
–
–
–
Short range (maybe 30 ft)
NFMI is Proprietary; must match your hearing aids
Uses a lot of power (so far) it must be a pendant
Processing delay can be more than 25 ms
• Ok for phone calls or listening to music or radio
• May be distracting if watching TV or other video
Systems
• Assistive Listening Systems
– FM
– IR
– Loops
• Installation
– Permanent
– Portable
• Movies, Auditoriums, Theaters,
Stadiums, Churches, Classrooms,
18
Jacks and Plugs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mono (1 ring, 2 sections)
Stereo (2 ring, 3 sections)
Cell Phone (3 rings, 4 sections)
Stereo to Mono Adaptor
Male to Male Adaptor
RCA to male 3.5 mm
Optical
Simple Mic to TV
• Place a good mic near the TV
• Patch it via wire or your favorite
wireless to your ALD of choice
– FM
– IR
– Bluetooth
• Use your favorite interface
–
–
–
–
Headphones
Earbuds
Neckloop
Silhouette(s)
• Works, but better to patch directly
to the TV
Patching to a TV
Then with appropriate adaptor
to your favorite interface
o Bluetooth TV adaptor
o FM
o InfraRed
o Stereo System
o Room Loop
o Headset
May need a stereo/mono
adaptor
May need different style jack
Some newer TVs don’t have “line
outs”, but use an Optical audio
output. You would need a d/a
converter to patch to most ALDs.
Finding Systems
• Signs
– IR
– Loops
– ALDs
• Websites
– www.aldlocator.com
– www.loopamerica.org
– http://www.americanhearingloop.com/hearing-looplocations.html
– www.captionfish.com
– http://www.hearinglossweb.com/tech/ald/loop/loop.htm
22
Resources
• www.ncatp.org
• Information
• Trial equipment
• www.ncdhhs.gov/dsdhh/
• Regional Centers
• Equipment Distribution
• www.nchearingloss.org
• Glossary defines terms
• HLAA Conventions
• Don’t miss the exhibit area
23
Recommendations
• Look for where you could benefit from Assistive
Technology.
• Consider which technologies meet your needs.
• Try out the technology in various situations.
• Never buy a hearing aid that doesn’t have standard
telecoils
• Get your telecoils activated and tuned to your needs.
• Learn how to change to the best program for each situation.
• Consider other options such as a personal amplifier,
Bluetooth, FM or IR
• Standard telecoils are NOT obsolete
• Some aids have both NFMI and standard telecoils.
24
Latest Stuff
• Roger FM (by Phonak but supports most brands)
• Pen mic
• Clipon mic
• Boot or embedded receivers
• Cochlear Dynamic FM
• For BAHA
• For Nucleus CI (soon)
• MFi (Made for iPhone) hearing aids
• Some direct to aids from several manufacturers
• Some to a “gateway” device
25
Questions?
• Now
I’ll stay as long as you like
• Later
Email me at steve.barber@earthlink.net
26