Utah Audiologist Installs Hearing Loop from Listen Technologies

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Utah audiologist, Dr. Anne Lobdell, is the first audiologist in the state to install a hearing loop system in her office. The hearing loop system, provided by Listen Technologies transmits clear, amplified sound directly to an individual's hearing aid or cochlear implant.

Hearing loop technology consists of a sound system connected to a wire or induction loop that circles a specific area in a venue. The loop transmits the sound electromagnetically and the signal is picked up by a telecoil (or t-coil), which is a small magnetic coil housed within a hearing aid, that allows users to receive clear sound directly through the circuitry of the hearing aid. T-coils are activated by simply pushing a small button on the hearing aid.

"As an audiologist, my goal is to help my patients get more out of life and to have richer, more meaningful experiences by being able to improve their hearing," Dr. Lobdell said. "When a person can't hear clearly, they become disconnected from their environment. This is particularly true in venues where there is a poor signal-to-noise ratio—which makes it difficult to hear even for those who are not hard of hearing. Hearing loops transforms any t-coil equipped hearing device into a personalized speaker for the individual. Every note of music played and every word spoken from a microphone is wirelessly delivered directly to the user. Hearing loops are the missing link for thousands of people in Utah who are hard of hearing and I am excited beyond measure to help bring this amazing technology to my patients. Every house of worship, theater, sports arena and government building with a PA system needs to take a look at hearing loops."

Dr. Lobdell was recently elected Chair of the Loop Utah Steering Committee, which is behind the Loop Utah Movement. This movement is dedicated to educating Utah venues about the many benefits of hearing loop technology. Listen Technologies installed a hearing loop in her office's hearing-aid "fitting room" where patients are fitted with hearing aids. This space is ideal for Dr. Lobdell's patients to experience the loop technology. The room has been equipped with a microphone that allows her to be heard through the hearing loop system.

"There is nothing like watching a patient experience the hearing loop system for the first time," Dr. Lobdell said. "It truly is a transformative experience. It is conceivable that in some situations where there is a lot of ambient noise, a person using the hearing loop can hear what is being said from a microphone even better than normal hearing people can hear. Even the most high-tech hearing aids can't completely delineate the sounds a user wants to hear from background noises. Those who use hearing aids also often can't distinguish important sounds from far away such as those in a theater. In such settings, hearing loops are often the best solution."

Hearing loop systems are ideal for a number of venues including:

• Airports
• Banquet halls
• Board rooms and large meeting rooms
• Court rooms
• Doctors' offices and pharmacy counters
• Drive thru and pick up windows
• Elevators, trains and buses
• Museums
• Places of worship
• School auditoriums
• Sports facilities
• Theaters and performing arts centers
• Ticket counters and information booths

About Listen Technologies Corporation

Listen Technologies brings power and clarity to the sounds that enrich your life—by overcoming the challenges of noise, distance, lively debate and hearing loss to deliver precise and personalized audio in any setting or environment.  With Listen solutions, you can cut through the clutter and connect to an experience of pure, focused sound. Listen solutions are used in gathering places around the world including schools, houses of worship, factories, entertainment venues, government agencies and more. For more information on Listen solutions, contact Listen Technologies at 1.800.330.0891, +1.801.233.8992, or visit www.listentech.com.

SOURCE Listen Technologies Corporation