Tim Kridel explores the market for assistive listening systems with Paul Ingebrigtsen, president and CEO of Williams Sound.
TK: What are some marketplace trends driving assistive-listening systems and other AV solutions for those with hearing loss? For example, are there any verticals where demand is particularly high or increasing? If so, what’s driving that demand? I would think that higher ed is one partly because a lot of college students damaged their hearing as teenagers with MP3 players and because a lot of older adults have gone back to school after losing their jobs in the recession. PI: - Compliance with Accessibility legislation (ADA, DDA, etc.) in public meeting spaces.
- Demographics – aging population, prevalence of hearing loss that occurs with age.
- Advocacy – grassroots consumer organizations that are creating awareness and promoting the need for accessibility.
- Growing Markets:
- Education – more tech-savvy users, open to using technology to improve their lives, accessibility compliance
- House of Worship – one of the largest consumers of AV technology, demographics of worshipers
- Courtrooms – influx of immigrants, need for language translation
- Portable systems – tours
TK: What are some tips for ensuring a reliable, high-quality wireless assistive-listening system? For example, how can AV integrators and their clients choose the right wireless technology? How can they protect against interference, including types that might not exist when the system is designed and installed? PI: Wireless technology is a tool. Like any tool, you have to pick the right one for the job. Each technology has its pros and cons. With enough money, you can probably make any technology work in a given application, but that’s not the way the real world operates. Facilities have architectural, functional, and budget limitations. The system designer’s job is to identify the desired functionality, the practical constraints, and then recommend the technology that best fits the facilities needs.
All assistive listening systems use wireless technology to deliver sound directly from the sound system microphones to the listener’s ears. This provides the best signal to noise ratio possible, bypassing background noise, distance from the sound source, and room acoustics. All of the technologies will permit any number of users.
Induction Loop Systems: Advantages: - BYOD. From a user perspective, the preferred solutions are the technologies that allow them to bring their own listening device, in this case, a telecoil-equipped hearing aid.
- Users do not have to request a receiver, thus drawing attention to themselves, nor worry about the cleanliness of community receivers and earphones.
- Facilities have reduced receiver management concerns (availability, batteries, earphones, cleaning, distribution and collection, staff training, maintenance.)
- It should be noted that the need for receivers does not go away, since most hard of hearing people don’t wear hearing aids. For a facility to be fully accessible, it will still need to offer some receivers for non-hearing aid wearers in the case of induction loops. Specialty receivers are available for these systems.
- Sound is tailored to the user by their hearing aid.
- Can be used in any country.
- Generally not subject to radio interference.
Disadvantages:
The primary constraints that preclude the installation of induction loop systems are:
- Generally the highest cost solution.
- Background noise floor too high due to interference from machinery, wiring, transformers, etc.
- Difficulty and expense of installing the loop wire, particularly in retrofits. Seating and flooring may need to be removed or cuts made in concrete.
- Extensive metal construction can create low magnetic signal levels or poor frequency response due to metal loss.
- Large coverage areas require multiple amplifiers and loops, adding expense.
- Loops cannot provide privacy due to overspill of the loop signal outside the looped area.
- Overspill can create problems when multiple adjacent rooms are to be looped.
- Loops can only carry a single audio channel, thus cannot be used if multiple channels, languages for instance, are needed.
- Dynamic Microphones should not be used due to magnetic interference.
- It is not practical to use a loop system for walking tours, as the systems are not mobile.
FM Systems: Advantages: - FM Systems are generally the lowest-cost solution, with minimal installation cost.
- Can easily cover large auditoriums, houses of worship, even outdoor sports stadiums.
- Multiple channels can be accommodated.
- Excellent sound quality.
- Hearing aid users can be accommodated with Neckloops.
- Portable FM systems are generally the lowest cost technology for walking tours of industrial facilities, university campuses, and tourist attractions.
Disadvantages: - FM systems do not provide private transmission when meetings are confidential.
- Channels must be managed carefully when multiple adjacent rooms need to be covered.
- The number of channels possible is limited.
- Interference can be received from other radio services, requiring alternate channels to be used.
- Users must request a receiver and may have concerns about sanitation of earphones, etc.
- Facilities have receiver management concerns (availability, batteries, earphones, cleaning, distribution and collection, staff training, maintenance.)
- Equipment is frequency-specific for different countries.
Digital Systems: Advantages: - Digital radio systems can provide encrypted, private transmission.
- Excellent sound quality.
- Multiple channels can be accommodated.
- Hearing aid users can be accommodated with Neckloops.
- Portable Digital systems allow 2-way, question and answer operation for walking tours of industrial facilities, university campuses, and tourist attractions.
- Hearing aid users can be accommodated with Neckloops.
- Can be used in any country.
Disadvantages:
- More costly than FM systems.
- Operating distance is generally less than FM systems.
- The number of simultaneous channels is limited.
- Interference from WiFi networks can reduce range. •Microwave ovens can produce localized interference.
- Users must request a receiver and may have concerns about sanitation of earphones, etc.
- Facilities have receiver management concerns (availability, batteries, earphones, cleaning, distribution and collection, staff training, maintenance.)
Infrared (IR) Systems: Advantages: - Less costly installation than loop systems.
- Excellent sound quality.
- Because IR is primarily a line-of-sight transmission, it is blocked by opaque walls. This allows conversation within a room to remain private, in courtroom or Boardroom applications.
- IR also works well when there are multiple adjacent rooms, classrooms, courtrooms, cinemas, hospital rooms, etc, as there is no overspill.
- IR systems can handle multiple channels.
- Hearing aid users can be accommodated with Neckloops.
- Can be used in any country.
Disadvantages: - More costly installation than FM systems.
- Additional IR radiators are needed to cover larger areas, adding equipment and installation cost.
- Direct sunlight can create interference.
- Users must request a receiver and may have concerns about sanitation of earphones, etc.
- Facilities have receiver management concerns (availability, batteries, earphones, cleaning, distribution and collection, staff training, maintenance.)
WiFi Systems:
Advantages: - BYOD. From a user perspective, the preferred solutions are the technologies that allow them to bring their own listening device, in this case, a smartphone.
- Users do not have to request a receiver, thus drawing attention to themselves, nor worry about the cleanliness of community receivers and earphones.
- Facilities have reduced receiver management concerns (availability, batteries, earphones, cleaning, distribution and collection, staff training, maintenance.) It should be noted that the need for receivers does not go away, since most hard of hearing people don’t wear hearing aids. For a facility to be fully accessible, it will still need to offer some receivers for users who don’t have a compatible smartphone with a WiFi system. Specialty receivers are available for these systems.
- Hearing aid users can be accommodated with Neckloops.
- Some hearing aids link to smartphones.
- Can accommodate multiple channels.
- Can cover large areas by adding wireless access points.
- Can be used in any country.
Disadvantages:
More conspicuous for users than a loop system.
More costly than FM Systems.
Requires a high quality wireless network.
Installation may require facility I.T. support.
There may be a monthly use fee.
Users may not have a compatible smartphone.
Users may have trouble downloading the App and connecting to the network.
TK: Most adults now own a smartphone. What should AV integrators and their clients consider when deciding whether and how to leverage those devices to help patrons with hearing loss and reduce the need for specialized devices? Do you see a trend toward using smartphones and other user-provided devices?
If so, what are the pros and cons? For example, in the case of smartphones, one challenge might be getting users to install an app, and that’s assuming they have a phone whose operating system version is new enough to support that app. PI: With the continued adoption of mobile devices, BYOD is definitely an emerging market in the AV world. The BYOD concept is very appealing for users and facilities. WiFi systems, like the Williams Sound Hearing Hotspot, can be used to cover large areas by scaling the wireless access points, and can handle many channels of audio. Users who have a compatible smartphone don’t have to worry about receivers being available or have cleanliness concerns over community devices. This does reduce the need for the number of receivers in a facility.
Challenges are:
- WiFi systems are definitely a convergence product. I.T. assistance may be needed to get the system up and running. Sometimes a separate WiFi network is needed or the existing network needs to be upgraded to handle audio over WiFi.
- Users need to have a compatible smartphone. It’s surprising how many people do not yet have smartphones or have difficulty using them, especially among the older hard of hearing demographic. This will change over time.
- BYOD use is not inconspicuous. It also creates a temptation to use other phone functions such as texting, social media, e-mail, etc. while the user is supposed to be engaged in the presentation. This can be distracting for other attendees. Smartphone screens lighting up in a darkened auditorium or cinema are an annoying distraction to others and phone use is actively discouraged by many facilities and presenters.
- For the facility, the need changes from receiver management to user management. Someone needs to be available to help users connect. If a user cannot connect, they blame the system or the facility, not their phone or themselves.
- Users have to successfully download and install the App (usually free) but normally this is a one-time need. Users must also select automatic updates of the App or update manually. When they buy a new phone, they have to transfer Apps and settings or go through the process again.
- Users have to successfully connect to the WiFi network. Once they connect the first time, the device should automatically recognize the network on return visits.
- The system needs to be publicized so users know it is there and instructions provided for how to connect.
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