External microphones for captioning apps improve the accuracy of the captions. Your phone has a microphone built-in that is usually sufficient for speech-to-text apps. However, there are times when an [...]

When you want to display captions from a speech-to-text app for a crowd, a projector is quite useful. There are some small and fairly bright projectors available online. They interface [...]

When I struggle to follow a discussion, captions and text fill gaps in my hearing. (I wouldn't hear nearly as well without my reading glasses.) Today, captions are available in [...]

Phones are a crucial tool in the workplace and an important link from home to the outside world. Given the popularity of mobile phones today, landline use may surprise you. [...]

Television is a great source of entertainment and news. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to hear from across the room. In addition, turning up the volume does not always make [...]

How much do you think about all the devices that connect you to the world? When a severe ice storm knocked out power to New England for two weeks, I [...]

People with hearing loss often qualify for free or low cost hearing equipment, services, and training. Most states have a program that assists people with hearing loss. Although things vary [...]

There are several online vendors of hearing assistive technology products. I have no affiliation to any vendor. Some vendors who specialize in HAT have deeper knowledge of these specialized products [...]

We fill our homes with devices that alert us to important messages. For instance, we need to know when people are at our door or calling on the phone. Is [...]

The vast majority of people with hearing loss wish they could hear better in a noisy restaurant. Why is this so difficult? It turns out there are a lot of [...]

Face-to-face communication offers more than just words; it's a tapestry of emotion, understanding, and connection, so it's vital to strive to overcome face-to-face communication challenges. Dinner at a restaurant isn't [...]

Remote microphones and personal listening systems are a proven and effective way to to stay engaged in the conversation. They significantly increase the sound you want to hear over surrounding [...]

In honor of World Hearing Day today, I’m making a plea for virtual captions. Zoom meeting hosts hold the power to turn on captions for people like me who don’t [...]

Technology is not the only thing we need to stay connected well. There are plenty of situations that call for planning as well. We need to have strategies for hearing [...]

Video conferences have become a lifeline to family and friends. Also, they are an important tool for remote work. I really look forward to bi-weekly video meetings with my family. [...]

"There's an app for that!" For beginners....What's an app? An app, short for application, is a software program that performs a specific function. There are apps that supplement your hearing [...]

Real-Time Text (RTT) transmits text as someone types it. It takes only a fraction of a second to send the characters. They display immediately to the receiving person(s) as well. [...]

Mobile phones, and especially smartphones, make the world a lot more accessible for people with hearing loss. People increasingly enjoy mobile phones on-the-go connectivity. In fact, 96% of Americans and [...]

Frustration as hearing declines I was in my fifties when an audiogram revealed a mild hearing loss. Over several years, this descended from mild to moderate to severe hearing loss. [...]

A challenging childhood Treated for a rare childhood cancer in 1984, I was a guinea pig in the cancer ward during a time when childhood cancer survival rates were low.  [...]

During the COVID pandemic, I broke a promise I made to myself and went back to old bad habits. That is to say, I bluffed my way through conversations and [...]

Movies have a story for everyone, whether you prefer sci-fi, a scary thriller, comedy, romance or tales of adventure. The common thread under all the dazzling special effects, big name [...]

People who hear an uplifting sermon in places of worship are likely to walk out feeling hopeful and at peace. Sometimes walking alongside, I used to feel adrift or even [...]

My family attended a play at a grand historic theater. I was excited to see my daughter-in-law perform in “The Little Mermaid.” Ever since childhood, I've always loved plays. Unfortunately, [...]

It's logical to think that to hear better, we should simply make things louder. On its face, this is true. We do hear sounds better when they are louder or [...]

Did you know a standard (pure-tone) hearing test cannot predict how well you hear in noise? It indicates how much a hearing aid may help you in less challenging places. [...]

Perhaps you can remember your first hearing test. Mine was in second grade in the school nurse's office. I had to put on clunky headphones and raise my hand every [...]

The importance of hearing well in public gatherings Public accommodations for hearing loss help us fully engage with all that a public gathering has to offer. We want to share [...]

Bluetooth® allows compatible devices to communicate with each other wirelessly. The most recent version, called Bluetooth LE Audio is just emerging and enhances the performance of Bluetooth audio, adds support [...]

What is a telecoil? A telecoil (t-coil) is a coil of copper wire that you can find within many hearing aids and all CIs. It serves as a tiny audio [...]