Hearing Loss Advocacy

Have you or someone you love turned down an activity in a public space, because it’s frustrating trying to listen in a certain environment? Hearing loss can be incredibly isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. Assistive listening devices (ALDs) help people listen in difficult environments. They’re also mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more information on that topic, please visit our Compliance Page.

Assistive listening technologies include radio frequency, infrared, and Wi-Fi streaming.

Radio frequency (RF): RF Systems work similarly to radios and use a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter transmits sound to the receiver, which a person wears with headphones or ear buds to listen to what sound is being broadcast.

Infrared (IR): An IR System uses infrared technology to wirelessly transmit sound to a receiver. The difference between IR and RF systems is that an IR system offers more privacy, because the infrared signal is contained within a space.

Wi-Fi Streaming: Audio over Wi-Fi is a simple and cost-effective solution for assistive listening, language interpretation, and multiple room/channel audio delivered directly to guest’s smartphones through a free, fully customizable app. 

Neck Loop: A neck loop connects wirelessly to hearing aids or cochlear implants that are equipped with t-coils. Neck loops are used with either radio frequency, infrared, or Wi-Fi assistive listening systems instead of headsets. Listeners simply hook the neck loop into the receiver, place the loop around their neck and the t-coil picks up the sound being transmitted.

Hearing Loop: A hearing loop, sometimes referred to as an induction loop or T-loop, is an assistive listening system that provides audio access for those with hearing loss via their hearing aid or cochlear implant. It transfers the audio source directly to a hearing aid without background noise, interference, or acoustic distortion.