Assistive Technology for the Hearing-impaired, Deaf and Deafblind

Affirmative legislative action in many countries now requires that public spaces and services be made accessible to disabled people. Although this is often interpreted as access for people with mobility impairments, such legislation also covers those who are hearing or vision impaired. In these cases, it is often the provision of advanced technological devices and aids which enables people with sensory impairments to enjoy the theatre, cinema or a public meeting to the full. Assistive Technology for the Hearin-impaired, Deaf and Deafblind shows the student of rehabilitation technology how this growing technical provision can be used to support those with varying reductions in auditory ability and the deafblind in modern society. Features: instruction in the physiology of the ear together with methods of measurement of hearing levels and loss; the principles of electrical engineering used in assistive technology for the hearing impaired; description and demonstration of electrical engineering used in hearing aids and other communications enhancement technologies; explanation of many devices designed for every-day living in terms of generic electrical engineering; sections of practical projects and investigations which will give the reader ideas for student work and for self teaching. The contributors are internationally recognised experts from the fields of audiology, electrical engineering, signal processing, telephony and assistive technology. Their combined expertise makes Assistive Technology for the Hearing-impaired, Deaf and Deafblind an excellent text for advanced students in assistive and rehabilitation technology and to professional engineers and medics working in assistive technology who wish to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current engineering advances.

This book will sell particularly owing to the increasing number of peoplein older age groups of the population in industrialised countries, whichmeans that the number of people with some degree of hearing impairment isalso increasing. Recent legislation in many of these countries requiresthe use of technology to enhance the access of hearing-impaired anddeaf-blind people to everyday facilities and will produce a ready-mademarket for those trained and researching in those technologies.

Anatomy and Physiology of Hearing, Hearing Impairment and Treatment.- Audiology: The Measurement of Hearing.- Hearing-aid Principles and Technology.- Induction-loop Systems.- Infrared Communication Systems.- Telephone Technology.- Alarm and Alerting Systems for Hearing-impaired and Deaf People.- Dual Sensory Impairment: Devices for Deafblind People.- The Final Product: Issues in the Design and Distribution of Assistive Technology Devices.