Assistive listening devices (2024)

FAQs

What are examples of assistive listening devices? ›

There are five general types of assistive listening devices: audio induction (also called a hearing) loop, FM system, infrared system, personal amplified system and Bluetooth systems.

Assistive Hearing Devices HCPCS Code range V5268-V5290.

FM systems are the HATS used most often with children. These systems are easy to move around and are not easy to break. They are useful in noisy places, like your child's classroom. It is good to start using HATS when your child gets her hearing aid or cochlear implant.

Assistive Listening Systems (ALSs) are sometimes called Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs). Essentially they are amplifiers that bring sound directly into the ear. They separate the sounds, particularly speech, that a person wants to hear from background noise. They improve what is known as the “speech to noise ratio.”

Examples of assistive devices and technologies include wheelchairs, prostheses, hearing aids, visual aids, and specialized computer software and hardware that increase mobility, hearing, vision, or communication capacities.

Unique Frequency Ranges

Listen Technologies is the only manufacturer that offers radio frequency assistive listening systems in both the 72 and 216 MHz frequency ranges.

A covert listening device, more commonly known as a bug or a wire, is usually a combination of a miniature radio transmitter with a microphone. The use of bugs, called bugging, or wiretapping is a common technique in surveillance, espionage and police investigations.

Similar to how noise-canceling headphones help eliminate distractions, assistive listening systems improve acoustic access for deaf students. For example, a deaf student may request an assistive listening system for a large lecture hall to better access their teacher.

How do listening devices work? ›

A Covert Listening Device can either transmit audio live or record the audio, sometimes for later transmission. Most modern Covert Listening Devices transmit on either the GSM but some can also transmit via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with older and cheaper types transmitting via UHF or FM frequencies.

To block a listening device that uses a battery, replace the batteries with dead batteries. To block a listening device that is mains powered, unplug it. One other solution you may see being sold is the ultrasonic microphone jammer.

How Much Do Assistive Listening Devices Cost? The cost of an assistive listening device can vary depending on the type of device. A personal FM system can cost up to $1,000 while a handheld device like a personal amplifier is likely less expensive, costing about $200.

A listening bug works by recording sound, usually within a 300-900 foot range, and transmitting it to a computer in another location. As the name suggests, they are small microphones that pick up sounds with clarity. Two types of listening devices are used. Is it illegal to put a listening device in someone's home?

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices help people with communication disorders to express themselves. These devices can range from a simple picture board to a computer program that synthesizes speech from text.

Assistive technology solutions may be store bought, such as speech recognition software; modified such as placing tennis balls on a walker to make it easier to glide over carpets; and, even custom made such as creating a prosthetic hand using a 3D printer.