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Systems for the Hard of Hearing |
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have installed hundreds of infra-red and induction
loop systems for the hard of hearing in churches,
schools, nursing homes, doctors surgeries and many
other buildings. |
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Fitting an induction
loop or infra-red system caters for the needs of
the hard of hearing and thus ensuring the building
complies to the Disability Discrimination Act that
fully came into force in 2004.
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Induction Loop Systems |
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| Fitting
an induction loop system is usually the most cost
effective method of catering for the needs of the
hard of hearing. Loop systems can be fitted in rooms,
churches and halls as well as reception counters.
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| In many noisy environments
people with hearing difficulties have problems hearing
what is said at the front of the room, as their
hearing aids amplify the sounds nearest to them
making it difficult to hear what is said at the
front of the room. An induction loop system allows
a hearing aid user to set their hearing aid to the
‘T’ position and hear the signal directly
from the loop, wherever they are in the room. As
a result they hear a clear signal unaffected by
the distance from the sound source. |
In addition, televisions
and other audio equipment can be connected to an
induction loop system enabling the hard of hearing
to hear the sound without having to have the volume
of the television at a level that could cause problems
to other people.
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How
induction loops work
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Induction loop systems
use a loop of cable run round the perimeter of the
room or reception counter. A specially designed
current driven amplifier is used to pass a current,
corresponding to the sound source, through the cable
thus creating a magnetic field within the room.
When a hearing aid is set to ‘T’ position
a coil in the hearing aid 'picks up' the magnetic
field generated by the loop and converts it to sound.
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Input
to the Loop
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| Input to the loop is
normally from a sound system or microphones located
in the room. Often boundary microphones are used
although they are not always suitable as the closer
the microphone is to the sound source, the better
the signal quality to the induction loop. Normally
we will provide a radio microphone for the person
at the front of the room and wall mounted microphone
for ‘fill in’ signal.We can also supply
combined sound and induction loop systems with the
loop amplifier and the amplifiers for the speakers
housed in a single case. |
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Infra-red
Systems
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Induction
loop systems are ideal in situations where there
are a large number of people in the room with hearing
aids. Unfortunately due to the nature of induction
loop systems some of the signal will be outside
the loop of cable and therefore outside the room.
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| This can
cause problems if confidentiality is important and
if two adjacent loop systems are used simultaneously.
In such situations infra-red systems are ideal as
the signal can not be ‘picked up’ outside
the room so confidentiality is maintained. Infra
red systems are also useful when used as a portable
system as they required very little set up time.
An infra-red system uses a radiator unit located
in the room with each person who has a hearing problem
wearing a neck loop receiver, allowing them to use
their own hearing aid, or a headset receiver unit.
Input to the system is usually from a radio microphone
system and a boundary microphone or, from an existing
sound system. |
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| Reception
Loop System |
| The most common use of
induction loop systems is at reception desks and
ticket counters where it can be difficult to hear
what is being said with all the background noise.
Fitting an induction loop system avoids the receptionist
having to shout to make themselves understood.
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| The induction loop amplifier
is fitted in a twin gang electrical box with loop
cable run under the counter. Input to the loop is
from a desk microphone or a small microphone mounted
on the desk. We can also fit an induction loop as
part of a desk intercom system. |
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| Reception
Loop System |
| There are
a number of occasions when a portable induction
loop system is required for small meetings. One
solution is to use the unit shown on the right.
The system uses an induction loop amplifier, cable,
and a microphone all housed in a small A4 sized
plastic case. |
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| To avoid any trailing
leads the unit is battery powered. If the meeting
is held in a larger room a portable system can be
used with the loop amplifier housed in flight case
with the loop cable housed on small drums. All our
induction loop systems are designed to meet the
requirements of BS EN60118-4 (formerly BS6083 part
4) and the recommendations laid out in BS7594. |
| Location |
System |
Case
Study |
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