A Telecoil (T-Coil) is a copper coil — built into hearing aids, cochlear implants and telecoil receivers — that functions as a wireless antenna capable of picking up an audio signal generated by an audio induction loop amplifier.
Without the need for any additional equipment, background noise and acoustic interference that would normally be amplified by a hearing aids is eliminated – vastly improving comprehension for the hearing impaired.
According to Juliëtte Sterkens, AuD, and Loop Advocate for the HLAA, “most hearing aid users report that hearing over distance, in reverberation and background noise is difficult, regardless of the level of technology inside the hearing aid.” Hearing aids that feature telecoil and Bluetooth technology give users an audio experience that is as close to “normal” as possible – in virtually all environments, from homes to stadiums.
Audio induction loop technology was first patented in 1937 to address the need for communicating clearly while using a telephone. Currently, all landline phones are designed, by law, to work with a telecoil and the technology is used in venues of all sizes. A Telecoil may be activated manually or set to automatically switch on in the presence of a hearing loop field.
Hearing Loops: A Top Choice for Hearing Accommodation
According to the Hearing Loss Association of American (HLAA), “hearing loops provide the greatest benefits to people who rely on assistive listening systems, and to venues required by the ADA to provide hearing accommodation.” Hearing loop systems are consumer-preferred, as proven by multiple user studies that compared them to FM and Infrared systems.
Loops installed to the IEC 60118-4 standard (International Electrotechnical Commission) reliably deliver the cleanest sound to people with hearing loss—even to those with severe to profound hearing loss. Because of this, hearing loops are becoming the foundation for hearing-friendly, inclusive communities throughout the United States and around the world.
Good Practice Guide to Hearing Loops by IHLMA – PDF >>
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