Are You in the Hearing Loop? A Brief Look at a Newer Technology that Benefits People with Hearing Loss

Have you ever seen a blue sign with a white ear on it with a diagonal line going through the ear and the letter T in the lower right hand corner? If you have, you may not have known what the sign meant, though you might have guessed that it has something to do with hearing. These signs are becoming more and more common not only throughout the United States but throughout the world.

If you ever visit Westminster Abbey in London, for instance, you’ll find one of these signs posted. And they are not only posted in high profile places where royalty or politicians reside and work, these signs can be found in grocery stores and theaters, libraries and pharmacy kiosks. They simply mean that a hearing loop has been installed, and they are invitations for those with hearing aids to switch to their T-coil setting. Whether you are in London, Paris, or New York, a hearing loop can be found in the most unexpected of locations.

So, what exactly is a hearing loop, and why is it necessary? Let’s address the second question first. People with hearing impairment and loss are everywhere. It is the most common disability in America today. Though hearing loss can vary from minor loss to complete loss of hearing, many people attain a significant advantage through the use of hearing aids and hearing implants.

As effective as these hearing devices are, they are rendered impotent in certain situations. Let’s assume you are sitting in a theater, watching a movie with a friend. Your hearing aid is designed to pick up the sound all around you, and that is exactly what it does. The movie sound becomes muddled as the chattering couple behind you and the noisy popcorn eater a row down drown out what you actually want to listen to.

This one example is indicative of countless other situations where you want to listen to a single aspect, a single voice, perhaps, and are impeded from your desire to do so by ambient noises. Thus, a lecture, a TV program, or a conversation with the lady across the counter are spoiled by unintentional interruption.

Hearing loops are a simple and cost effective method of relieving the stress of the hearing impaired and effectively cutting out the unimportant audio information in situations where a main source of audio is desired. They work with two pieces of equipment. The preferred audio source is liked to a nearby amplifier, which in turn is linked to a loop of copper wire that surrounds the area where listeners are located. The audio source sends magnetic signals along the wire, which are, essentially, broadcast directly to any hearing aids switched to the T-coil setting.

This works for larger auditoriums and lecture halls, but what about the grocery store or any place where a loop of wire cannot be effectively placed? What if you are at a pharmacy counter in New York? A hearing loop can be placed in a different configuration so that a small circle of wire is installed in a pad under the pharmacy counter and accomplishes the same effect as a larger loop.

As more and more places adopt this newer technology, it will improve the lives of millions of hearing impaired people, one loop at a time.