The Americans with Disabilities Act and other efforts have made the world accessible to all people. However, in some ways that access is incomplete. For millions of Americans using hearing assistive devices, the ability to hear in public facilities is limited. Yet sounds can be made clear by installing a simple and cost effective technology in public buildings and facilities – the induction loop.
WHAT IS LOOPING?
The induction loop is to hearing aids, what Wi-Fi is to laptops. Looping allows hearing assistive devices to serve as wireless loudspeakers, delivering clear, sharp, customized sound right from inside the ears. It can be adapted to use in large public spaces, such as airports and auditoriums. But it can just as easily be installed in churches, drive-up business windows and even into a single room at home so the TV or stereo sound becomes a broadcast going directly through the hearing assistive device. It can even be used on a one-on-one basis with portable looping options in places lie libraries, hospitals and clinics.
Looping is a cost effective way to make more precise hearing available. The value of also having an area looped in the case of emergency situations is priceless.
HOW DOES LOOPING WORK?
Looping uses two separate technologies: the induction loop and its related components, and the hearing assistive device that has a tele or t-coil.
Traditional Induction Loop Systems
The induction loop is usually a high quality single strand copper wire and an amplifier. The size of the space to be looped determines the size and length of the wire loop, as well as the power level of the amplifier.
The public address system, TV or other broadcast source is attached to the looping system amplifier. The looping system amplifier sends the broadcast signal through the looping wire creating a magnetic energy field that can be picked up by tele or t-coils.
Portable InfoLoops
The Portable InfoLoop is a completely self-contained, one-on-one induction loop assistive listening system. It’s compatible with all telecoil equipped hearing aids, cochlear implants and induction loop receivers. With the Portable InfoLoop, listeners receive the signal at a distance of up to 3 feet from the unit. Sertoma clubs hae a recent history of donating hundreds of these assitive devices to hospitals, hearing clinics, libraries, public community spaces, government agencies, public works offices and more.
Tele-Coils and Hearing Assistive Devices
Also referred to as a “t-switch” or “t-coil”, these are tiny coils of wire that when in the presence of a changing magnetic field – such as those created by an induction loop, create a small electric current, which is transmitted as sound directly to the listener through the speaker in the hearing assistive device. This system bypasses the microphone and amplification function of the device, allowing listeners to hear a broadcast media without hearing the background noise and other competing sounds.