If you have distinctive hearing needs, these assistive listening devices may be able to help. These devices fall into several general categories.

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) work by focusing on the sounds you want to hear and amplifying them. These can work alongside cochlear implants and hearing aids.
Augmentative and alternative communication devices (AACs) help people with communication disorders express themselves. Many devices fall under this category from picture boards to speech-to-text computer programs.
Alerting devices connect to a doorbell, telephone or alarm. When someone comes to the door, calls, or the alarm is triggered, the alerting device emits a loud sound or blinking light. ALDs typically use a microphone to capture an audio source near its origin and broadcast it wirelessly over a Frequency Modulation (FM) transmission, Infra Red (IR) transmission, Induction Loop (IL) transmission or other transmission method. FM systems can be incredibly useful for public places such as conferences or classrooms, any time people will be within a 300 foot range. The lecturer wears a small microphone which is connected to a transmitter. The audience members or students wear a receiver tuned to a certain channel or frequency and listen through a receiver.

It sounds like sci-fi, but IR systems transmit sound through infrared light. Although it can be useful for large groups, the signal cannot pass through walls or into another room. This type of listening device has been utilized in courtrooms where discussion of confidential materials oftentimes takes place. It’s also a good choice in areas where there are competing signals from various locations, as long as there aren’t other competing light sources like sunlight.

Personal amplifiers are a handheld device used with a headset or earbuds. About the size of a cell phone, they increase sound levels while decreasing background noise, delivering only the amplified sound to the person wearing the headphones. Sometimes these personal amplifiers have microphones that can be angled toward the source of sound to assist with hearing and are particular useful in places where other assistive listening devices aren’t available, like when you’re away from home.