The promotion of accessibility is an essential condition for the full exercise of citizenship rights enshrined in the Portuguese Constitution. Therefore, PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS intends its products to be accessible to all, as it happens with the use of hearing loops.
People with conditional accessibility expect all of us to use mechanisms and tools at the service of building a barrier-free society. So, there must be a culture of awareness, as well as the involvement of as many people as possible in this purpose.
PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS’ mission is the development of consumer-oriented products and services, aiming to contribute to the creation of technological and industrial innovation. Besides, it aims to create technological tools that facilitate and expedite the tasks of any individual, adopting and valuing practices of social responsibility for the achievement of goals.
So, one of the concerns of PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS is accessibility for all citizens and, therefore, we design and develop multimedia kiosks, digital billboards, interactive tables and other digital solutions for people with hearing aids. Thus, our equipment can integrate a hearing loop, also known as an audio induction loop.
Hearing loops are placed in physical spaces or in digital billboards and kiosks, transmitting audio to hearing aids through a wireless magnetic signal, which is received by the hearing aid.
What are hearing loops?
Hearing loops are considered to be the most effective hearing technology. As well as being easy to use, they do not require much maintenance.
Although most people with hearing loss have hearing aids, these do little to help them hear clearly in environments where there are several people.
A hearing loop, however, sends clear, pure sound from a sound system to the user’s hearing aid, without any distortion or background noise.
Unlike other assistive listening systems that require headphones, the hearing loops are the only solution that uses unique tuning for each person’s individual pattern of hearing loss and no additional equipment is required.
How does it work?
Hearing loops use invisible electromagnetic waves to transmit sound directly to the hearing aid. As a rule, they are compatible with all hearing aids that have a “T-setting” or “telecoil” program.
The signal from an audio source is fed into an induction loop amplifier. The amplified signal, in turn, is fed through a closed cable loop. The current flowing through the loop generates a magnetic field and any magnetic flux line that passes through the receiver’s telecoil, such as a hearing aid, will generate a current that is converted to audio and fed into the person’s ear.
The benefits of an audio induction loop
Besides eliminating undesired noise, the hearing loop has a number of benefits, such as the following:
1 – Cost/Benefit
Not only does this system not require much maintenance once it is installed and optimized properly, but it is also economical.
2 – Hygiene and convenience
Since there is no need to collect and/or return a hearing loop, this system is more hygienic and convenient.
3 – No interference
Once installed, the optimized hearing loops suffer no interference or breaks in the signal.
4 – Accessible to an unlimited number of people
Imperceptible and usable by anyone with a compatible hearing aid, the hearing loop can have several users enjoying the system simultaneously.
5 – Versatility
Hearing loops provide effective, continuous communication in any type of environment (auditoriums, theaters, places of worship, classrooms, meeting rooms, pharmacies, etc.) and equipment (such as digital billboards and multimedia kiosks).
The importance of the hearing loop
Increasingly popular and used all over the world, the hearing loop is a simple solution that stands out for the following features:
- It doesn’t pick up undesired sounds, such as background noises and conversations;
- It doesn’t need a special receiver;
- It is more reliable than other systems, such as infrared;
- It can adapt to the specific needs of the user;
- It can also be used outdoors;
- When there is no audio signal, the hearing loop switches to power-saving mode;
- It is easy to install;
- It is discreet;
- Its volume is adjustable.
PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS equipment
PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS equipment, such as digital billboards and kiosks, can integrate hearing loops, as it is a form of inclusion.
This way, and taking into account that one of PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS’ missions is to ensure accessibility for all citizens, our digital solutions are also suitable for people with reduced or conditioned mobility:
- Kiosks equipped with modular components for full inclusion of people with physical limitations;
- Kiosks incorporated with indications in Braille, ensuring accessibility to people with visual limitations;
- YPortal software, developed by PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS, with sign language integration, facilitating access to multimedia content for people with hearing limitations.
PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS is committed to continuously improve its performance in quality management and development of digital billboards and kiosks, in order to promote communication and to provide, through its technology, tools that boost equal rights and access.