In another post I had enquired about resolving communication between Capt. and 1st mate. Let me explain this a bit further in case you get the wrong idea... 😉
When underway or even when docking when there's much activity the ambient noise level can be high enough to make communication difficult. This is especially true with engine noise on an R-25 when moving along at +10Kts and/or above 3000 RPM. Communication between the helm and the cockpit area can be an issue under this condition. Even talking softly between helm and port side passenger seat can be an issue also when underway. Raising one's voice isn't pleasant and implies urgency etc.
In my case, my 1st mate (Gill) has severe hearing loss and wears hearing aids on both ears. The Audiologist the other week told Gill she was amazed she could hear anything at all even with the use of high-power hearing aids. Gill knows how to lip read but that can be problematic at times when she is in the cockpit and I'm at the helm. 🙂 Gill has had this hearing issue since her early 20s and it has been made worse with multiple pregnancies. The Audiologist indicated some 10% of the US population have hearing issues, and that means around 35 million people of all ages.
Ok, enough of the background stuff...
I've done some research related to how modern/new hearing aid technology can help with the above. Several hearing aid manufacturers now provide wireless communication using Bluetooth technology for their hearing aid products. For example, they can provide an individual wearing hearing aids to have personal control over the volume from a TV without affecting others listening to the regular TV audio outputs. In addition, this same control can be applied to land-base telephones, Cell/mobile telephones and MP3 music players. There's one manufacturer that even provides a remote mic that will transmit directly to the hearing aid(s). One such supplier is Octicon which not only provides these features but also claims their hearing aids are reasonably water proof. This remote mic feature would allow me having the remote mic attached to my shirt collar or jacket and be able to wirelessly communicate directly to both of Gill's hearing aids. Unfortunately, this is not a duplex connection so Gill could not use the same feature to communicate back to me unless of course I wore a hearing aid also. 😱 Nonetheless, this could be a very useful feature for Gill and me on our boat. At least if I were to bark out a command and I saw Gill not responding or not doing exactly what I wanted I could easily correct her.
So, I do believe I've found a reasonable solution to this communication issue we have onboard our R-25. Of course it would be a real bonus around the house as well. 😀
The basic component for all these bluetooth features operating seamlessly is for Gill to wear a necklace much like an Apple iPod shuffle device in appearance and in weight. This device is called a "Streamer". People would not view Gill as being handicapped in any way, but rather thinking she's listening to some favorite music playback. 🙂 In fact, the device actually can be concealed inside Gill's clothing if necessary.
All of the Bluetooth accessories have rechargeable batteries.
At this time I'm researching all of this further as all of the above from Octicon comes 'at a price'. As Gill's current hearing aids are getting close to their life span, and having just a few weeks left on my companies health plan that covers hearing aids (I just retired) I'm very tempted to jump at the opportunity to kill several birds with one stone. I've already found an Audiology Center that is willing to throw all of the Bluetooth accessories in with the purchase of a pair of Octicon Chille 9 (their most powerful aids) hearing aids along with a 3 yr warranty, 3 yrs of servicing, free batteries for the hearing aid's life, 1 yr for loss or failure and a 30-day trial period with a zero cost return policy.
All we need to do now is to see if we have enough pennies in the Piggy bank to cover the cost.
The pace of technology advances with hearing aids is truly amazing, but does mean having to invest every 5 yrs or so -- much like replacing light bulbs. 😉 ...and of course, just like incandescent bulbs greater than 100 watts being no longer available for purchase starting in 2012 and then at 2014 ALL incandescents will not be for sale. 😱 ... bring on those cheaper LED lighting fixtures some of which are for sale at Home Depot today. 😉
If others have any type of solution to the above keeping in mind the 'hard of hearing' issue I welcome them.
Thanks... -Barry
When underway or even when docking when there's much activity the ambient noise level can be high enough to make communication difficult. This is especially true with engine noise on an R-25 when moving along at +10Kts and/or above 3000 RPM. Communication between the helm and the cockpit area can be an issue under this condition. Even talking softly between helm and port side passenger seat can be an issue also when underway. Raising one's voice isn't pleasant and implies urgency etc.
In my case, my 1st mate (Gill) has severe hearing loss and wears hearing aids on both ears. The Audiologist the other week told Gill she was amazed she could hear anything at all even with the use of high-power hearing aids. Gill knows how to lip read but that can be problematic at times when she is in the cockpit and I'm at the helm. 🙂 Gill has had this hearing issue since her early 20s and it has been made worse with multiple pregnancies. The Audiologist indicated some 10% of the US population have hearing issues, and that means around 35 million people of all ages.
Ok, enough of the background stuff...
I've done some research related to how modern/new hearing aid technology can help with the above. Several hearing aid manufacturers now provide wireless communication using Bluetooth technology for their hearing aid products. For example, they can provide an individual wearing hearing aids to have personal control over the volume from a TV without affecting others listening to the regular TV audio outputs. In addition, this same control can be applied to land-base telephones, Cell/mobile telephones and MP3 music players. There's one manufacturer that even provides a remote mic that will transmit directly to the hearing aid(s). One such supplier is Octicon which not only provides these features but also claims their hearing aids are reasonably water proof. This remote mic feature would allow me having the remote mic attached to my shirt collar or jacket and be able to wirelessly communicate directly to both of Gill's hearing aids. Unfortunately, this is not a duplex connection so Gill could not use the same feature to communicate back to me unless of course I wore a hearing aid also. 😱 Nonetheless, this could be a very useful feature for Gill and me on our boat. At least if I were to bark out a command and I saw Gill not responding or not doing exactly what I wanted I could easily correct her.
So, I do believe I've found a reasonable solution to this communication issue we have onboard our R-25. Of course it would be a real bonus around the house as well. 😀
The basic component for all these bluetooth features operating seamlessly is for Gill to wear a necklace much like an Apple iPod shuffle device in appearance and in weight. This device is called a "Streamer". People would not view Gill as being handicapped in any way, but rather thinking she's listening to some favorite music playback. 🙂 In fact, the device actually can be concealed inside Gill's clothing if necessary.
All of the Bluetooth accessories have rechargeable batteries.
At this time I'm researching all of this further as all of the above from Octicon comes 'at a price'. As Gill's current hearing aids are getting close to their life span, and having just a few weeks left on my companies health plan that covers hearing aids (I just retired) I'm very tempted to jump at the opportunity to kill several birds with one stone. I've already found an Audiology Center that is willing to throw all of the Bluetooth accessories in with the purchase of a pair of Octicon Chille 9 (their most powerful aids) hearing aids along with a 3 yr warranty, 3 yrs of servicing, free batteries for the hearing aid's life, 1 yr for loss or failure and a 30-day trial period with a zero cost return policy.
All we need to do now is to see if we have enough pennies in the Piggy bank to cover the cost.
The pace of technology advances with hearing aids is truly amazing, but does mean having to invest every 5 yrs or so -- much like replacing light bulbs. 😉 ...and of course, just like incandescent bulbs greater than 100 watts being no longer available for purchase starting in 2012 and then at 2014 ALL incandescents will not be for sale. 😱 ... bring on those cheaper LED lighting fixtures some of which are for sale at Home Depot today. 😉
If others have any type of solution to the above keeping in mind the 'hard of hearing' issue I welcome them.
Thanks... -Barry