What technology is out there to support deaf people?
As well as hearing aids, which are becoming ever more sophisticated, there is a wide range of environmental aids to help deaf people be aware of sounds going on around them. Some of these include: • Amplified phones, textphones, mobile phones, and videophones. • Alarm clocks that flash or shake under the pillow. • Doorbells and phones that flash to alert users. • Special smoke alarms and vibrating pagers to tell the user what’s going on in the home. When a transmitter connected to a typical household device is activated the pager vibrates. • Loops systems and listening aids to help deaf people hear – for instance television or music, in public places, shops, at work or in the home. These aids help focus sound to the hearing aid. • Captioned and signed videos. This technology may help give deaf people greater independence. It is an individual thing and will depend on the level of deafness, age and needs.
