Toolkit Idea Topic 10-ALD's

Hi everyone. This is the 10th of 27 Idea Topics I
listed on three sheets of paper called:
"A Toolkit of Ideas for People With A Hearing Loss"
Prior topics can be seen at google website:


10 ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES(ALD"s: Improve hearing
in everyday conversation by reducing negative effects
of distance, background noise and reverberation. They
send sound from the source via a microphone to the
ears of the listener. There are four types of ALD"s.

1 Personal Amplifier/Pocket Talker: This acoustic
amplifier includes a plug-in microphone and an amplifier
that can accomodate most headsets. They are helpful in
small groups,in restaurants,and in the car. Average cost
is $100-200 depending on accessories ordered.

2 Audio Induction Loops:Consist of a coil of electric
wire placed around an selected area. The wire, which
creates a magnetic field that can transmit sound, is
connected to the amplifier and to the speaker's
microphone or sound source. The magnetic field around
the wire is picked up by individuals with a hearing aid
that has a t-coil. The signal can also be picked up
with a headset and receiver if the person is not wearing
a hearing aid.The hard of hearing person must sit inside
or along the loop to hear the sound without the effects
of background noise or echo's.

3 FM(Frequency Modulation)System:The FCC has assigned
certain frequencies for use by people with a hearing
loss. The speaker wears a microphone connected to a small
FM transmitter worn near the neck while the hard of hearing
person wears an FM receiver connected to his ear phones or personal hearing aid. The transmitter and receiver need to
be on the same frequency. Useful in noisy restaurants, small meetings and moving cars.

4 Infrared Systems:Use an invisible light beam to transmit
sound. The hard of hearing person wears a headset with a
receiver that is in direct line of sight with the infrared
light beam. Listeners who wear hearing aids with a t-switch
can wear a neck loop plugged into the receiver or silhouette
behind the ear. An infrared system can only be used indoors.

Let's share our experiences with these four assistive
listening devices.I have a Williams pocket talker. When I
attend large meetings without CART, I scotch tape the
microphone to the loudspeaker and use anextension wire to
connect to the pocket talker.With it I hear 95% of what
the speaker says. Without it I only hear about 50% of what
is said.

Paul in NJ