What is a hearing loop?
A hearing loop, also known as an Induction or Audio Loop, provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid when it is set to T-coil (Telecoil) setting.
The loop system consists of a microphone to pick up the spoken word; an amplifier which processes the signal which is then sent through the final piece; the induction loop, a wire placed around the perimeter of a room or sanctuary to act as an antenna that radiates the magnetic signal to the hearing aid.
When a hearing aid user selects the T-coil setting; he or she can pick up the sounds spoken into the PA system’s microphone instead of the hearing aid’s internal microphone. This results in improved speech understanding because the listener receives a clear signal without any background noise.
In Europe thousands of hearing loops are in use, including one at Westminster Abbey.
“The American Academy of Audiology, on behalf of audiologists, and the Hearing Loss Association of America on behalf of people with hearing loss announce a collaborative public education campaign ‘Get in the Hearing Loop.'” ~Press release from Hearing Loss Association of America and American Academy of Audiology, 2010
Experience a loop –