Assistive Listening Systems

What are Assistive Listening Systems?

Have you ever struggled to hear in public venues like concert halls, community centers and places of worship? Many public venues like these make assistive listening systems (ALS) available upon request by patrons with hearing loss.

ALS can provide clearer, better-quality sound with less background noise in public places and allow you to participate more fully in events. ALS transmit audio from the source to your ears, hearing aid or cochlear implant, either directly or through a receiver/transmitter.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets requirements for assistive listening in locations with a public address system. It is your right to request access to the ALS that you prefer in these locations.

Some ALS require the facility to be hard wired, and all require a receiver of some kind.

• Hearing loop – Hearing loops consist of a special amplifier and a hidden copper wire that creates a “looped zone” in any size venue. Sound is transmitted via a magnetic field directly to a hearing aid telecoil or other receiver worn by people seated within the zone. Learn more.
• Auracast broadcast audio – This new technology allows one public source to transmit wirelessly to multiple Bluetooth Low-Energy (LE)-enabled devices, including smartphones, ear buds, hearing aids and cochlear implants. Learn more.
• FM system – Using radio broadcast signals, sound is sent to a receiver worn on the body. These are often used in educational settings and offer mobility and flexibility when used with portable, body-worn transmitters. Learn more.
• Infrared (IR) system – A transmitter sends speech or music from a public address or sound system to an IR receiver using invisible light waves. IR signals travel in a straight line, so you’ll need to sit near the center of the room to receive the signal. Learn more.
• Wi-Fi system – A transmitter in a microphone or other source sends audio signals to a WiFi system picked up by a hearing device. These can be used in many public settings like classrooms and theatres. Learn more.

Bluetooth® enables wireless connection between virtually all smart devices. It allows direct connection to a sound source, eliminating interference issues like background noise. The technology is not without its flaws however, as connection issues do still arise.

• Bluetooth Hearing Aids – If your hearing aid or cochlear implant is Bluetooth-enabled, you can connect to apps and smart devices that make sound more accessible for phone calls, music, audio books, streaming video online and more.
• Bluetooth Low-Energy (LE) Audio – Described above, Auracast systems—based upon Bluetooth LE Audio—have the potential to revolutionize public listening for people with and without hearing loss. Introduced in 2020, they are becoming more widely installed in public venues around the world, with an increasing number of compatible hearing devices available.

A telecoil, also known as a t-coil, is a small copper wire inside a hearing aid, cochlear implant or other receiver that allows it to connect with hearing loops and conventional telephones. Your audiologist or hearing aid dispenser should provide t-coils in your new hearing aids and activate them upon request.

While many prescription and over-the-counter hearing aids include Bluetooth, it may not be available in smaller, older or lower-end models. If mobile connection and streaming capability is important to you, then be sure to indicate that to your hearing care provider.

A growing number of advanced hearing aids and cochlear implants are Auracast-enabled or Auracast-ready (which requires a firmware update). Over time, this will likely become the standard for public assistive listening, so ask about this feature, in addition to t-coils, when upgrading or acquiring new devices.