Applications

We design and manufacture a wide range of hearing loop systems in an array of models and styles, suitable for a large variety of applications. Key settings include auditoriums, supermarkets, places of worship, healthcare establishments, retail stores, transport hubs and banks.

Once a system is installed, hearing device wearers simply switch to the “T” setting to listen flawlessly. Our systems enable direct sound transmission to hearing devices, without the need for additional receivers.

Sectors

Healthcare & Assisted Living

Our hearing loop systems provide latency-free sound transmission in key areas of the modern healthcare system. Contacta hearing loops, in all their types, are installed in thousands of locations across heath systems worldwide. This includes large area hearing loop systems, TV Rooms, 1 to 1 counter loops, portable and integrated systems.

Applications include:

Our systems help improve accessibility to services by people with hearing loss, enabling them to have clear and confidential conversations with doctors, nurses or reception staff at the hospital.

71% of people aged over 70 have some form of hearing loss. Many of these live-in nursing homes or other secured accommodation. Our hearing loops give nursing home residents the opportunity to be included in the community life at your home. We manufacture hearing loop solutions such as our HLD3 kit, designed for TV listening via an induction loop technology in bedrooms, small apartments or in larger communal areas, with a variety of audio connection options.

Our systems allow freedom of movement throughout the covered area, providing consistent and intelligible sound for hearing aid users.

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Hospitality

From Hotel reception desks to the conference facilities and guest rooms, ensure you are providing an inclusive environment in your establishment with our hearing loop systems. We have systems in all sizes to make a small guest house or a large hotel hearing accessible, helping to create fully inclusive environments.

Staying in a hotel can pose significant challenges to people with hearing loss. Our systems will help guests overcome a noisy reception desk or a busy hotel convention center, by transmitting the sound they want to hear directly to their hearing instrument.

Hotels of any type and size can become fully inclusive by installing our hearing loop systems. A positive experience by guests who can easily access all services, enhances visitor accessibility – an important contributing factor to customer loyalty.

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Places of Worship

One of the main reasons for visiting a house of worship is to hear important messages, which help individuals become part of a larger common faith community. Our hearing loop systems provide a perfect solution in these environments, cutting out background noise and enhancing the speaker’s voice so that everyone in the community can benefit.

Every word is more intelligible when a hearing loop system is installed.

Our hearing loop systems provide latency-free sound transmission direct to users hearing instruments, while allowing the freedom of movement across a large area without losing sound. This is an ideal technology when the user expects the sounds they hear to perfectly match a visual staging they are watching.

Our hearing loop systems are particularly useful in situations where there may be complex room structures, large sculptures or raised seating areas.

When multipurpose rooms are in use, it is often useful to use our 3D Visualization software so that loop signal is contained. This prevents overspill of the signal outside of a specific area or room.

Read about the installation of Contacta hearing loop system in a ‘Megachurch’ in Michigan, USA, where the sheer size and multiple level seating areas presented a number of unique challenges.

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Entertainment, Theaters & Cinemas

An entertainment venue such as a concert hall or a theater is a place for enjoyment, a place people attend for pleasure. Most modern venues include advanced and high-quality sound systems, which enhances intelligibility through sophisticated loudspeakers. The clarity of speech is always a key part of the experience.

Our hearing loop systems can be installed in auditoriums to provide an unparalleled listening experience for your audience. Our systems deliver latency-free sound transmission direct to users’ hearing devices, allowing them to sit comfortably in their seats, relax and enjoy the show!

The magnetic wireless signal of our hearing loop systems is an ideal technology when the user expects the sounds they hear to perfectly match a visual performance they are watching. It is also excellent in speech reproduction across a large area. A correctly installed system will deliver consistent and intelligible sound for hearing aid users, across large venues even in multi-level or elevated seating areas.

We have received excellent feedback from customers with hearing loss who have used our systems while enjoying their favorite show, movie, or live music gig – a truly immersive experience.

Our 1 to 1 hearing loop systems have been installed at ticket office desks in many venues, including large nationwide Cinema chains and well known theatres across the globe.

Here are a couple of examples of our systems installed at the IMAX theater at NASA and Theatre Row in New York.

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Corporate

Corporate environments and business venues are not exempt from the challenges faced by people with hearing loss. With 1 in 6 people having some level of hearing loss, it is likely someone in your office, store or business meeting is struggling to hear what is being said.

Many business facilities such as conference and meeting rooms are designed for group communication.

Important business discussions as well as interviews or presentations are done in these facilities.

A hearing loop system helps ensuring meetings and conferences run smoothly and everyone is part of the discussion. Having everyone engaged ensures effective interaction and improved productivity.

Systems such as our HLD3 Kit are designed to be connected to a TV or a PC using either a TOS Link optical connection or a wired 3.5mm audio connection. This system can be used with an external microphone which picks up boundary sounds from the room in parallel to the TV. It is suitable for small meeting rooms or presentation facilities of up to 100 square feet.

Larger rooms may benefit from an under-carpet phased array installation of the loop cable, connected to our V22a PRO Class D driver which is able to cover much larger rooms by powering a longer cable length.

Our large area hearing loop drivers can connect to a variety of sound sources found in business venues including:

  • Handheld Microphone
  • Lapel Microphone
  • Ceiling mounted ‘Shotgun’ or boundary Microphones
  • Desk mounted Microphone
  • PC, TV or Video calls
  • PA system feed
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Education

Classrooms and lecture halls are where most of the learning process happens and therefore assistive listening equipment is vital in this setting. While hearing loop systems have been fitted in thousands of classrooms already, we can help advise on the best solution for all your students.

Intermittent sound from a lecture can leave out key details and affect student’s understanding and comprehension.

Classrooms vary in size, projection and elevation, all of which impact the system performance and should be considered. Sound sources are also something that should be taken into consideration. The understanding of what the student will have to hear through the loop is paramount to technical decisions on the best equipment. As most of the equipment is invisible once installed, clear signage must be put in place to mark a looped classroom.

In some cases, special work may be required on site in order to prepare the infrastructure for optimal fitting of the system, in order to ensure best performance.

The benefits of fitting a hearing loop system in classrooms can be significant. Once installed, our system offers direct transmission of the sound source to users existing hearing instrument, without need for additional receivers. This contributes to a more enjoyable and productive user experience.

Our 1 to 1 hearing loop systems can be fitted into reception desks or other offices throughout schools, universities and colleges, to provide better access to services for students with hearing loss.

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Banking

The banking sector is pioneering the integration of hearing loop technology in the retail environment. The banks early understanding of the benefits of hearing accessibility, particularly hearing loop technology, has been a catalyst to the progress of its widespread adoption throughout the industry.

A user’s experience in a bank requires clear communication and two-way understanding for each transaction.

Banks recognize the importance of clear and intelligible communication with their customers at key interaction points.

Along with our Window Intercom Systems, hearing loop systems contribute to creating an inclusive environment in your bank. Our 1 to 1 hearing loop systems can help make your service desks more accessible for confidential exchanges.

Our Portable InfoLoop (PIL) is an ideal solution for small meeting rooms, where personal discussions take place and confidentiality is needed.

Additionally, we manufacture a range of integrated hearing loop systems, designed for installation in self-service tills or ATM machines, transmitting clear audio signal directly to the user’s hearing instrument.

Here are examples of successful integration of our hearing loop systems in the financial sector:

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Retail

Retail stores can present serious challenges for those who suffer from hearing loss. Hearing instruments amplify all sounds making clear communication less effective in noisy environments. Modern retail stores can often be an environment with high ambient noise level caused by a large number of people or loud background music.

Retail stores can present serious challenges for hearing aid users. As hearing instruments amplify all sounds, background noise in a loud environment prevents hearing comprehension. Modern retail stores can often be an environment with high ambient noise level caused by a large number of people or loud background music.

The technology in our hearing loop systems delivers the sound your customers really want to hear. Our Cardioid Microphones pick up the voice of staff members at check out counters and service desks, cutting out disturbing surrounding noises.

We know each retail setting has individual needs and designs, so we provide a range of systems to fit every scenario.

Systems such as our Under the Counter Loop System are designed with invisible installation of the hearing loop aerials under the counter desktop, leaving the counter top space free for customer transactions.

Establishments such as Jackson Rancheria Casino are a good example of where correctly fitted and maintained counter loop systems can transform customer experience. There are clear social and financial benefits for installing our systems to make retail stores hearing accessible.

Thousands of Grimsby Public Library is another example of a business understanding the needs of its customers. The more ambient noise an environment presents the more challenging it is for hearing aid users. A growing number of businesses understand that the integration of hearing loop technology in their stores is a critical part of its overall accessibility.

Another popular category within this sector are supermarkets, with the key applications being checkout counters, self-service checkouts and customer service desks. Our systems are installed in small stores as well as in large national chains including Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, the Co-Op and Spar.

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Transportation

This is one of the most diverse sectors when it comes to types of hearing technologies in use today. Due to the range of different environments, it is also one of the most challenging for people with hearing loss on their travels. Contacta offers large area loop systems for boarding platforms and Talk Thru Systems for ticket windows.

Some of these challenges include:

  • Using ticket machines with audio output at airports, railway or bus stations.
  • Communicating with a taxi or a bus driver.
  • Hearing important public announcements at noisy transportation hubs; on trains, trams or buses, or at airport departure gates.
  • Communicating with staff at airport check-in desks, passport control and ticket offices.

Our hearing loop systems tackle all these challenges and more. From the perspective of a service provider, we offer a full range of systems capable of delivering a fully hearing accessible customer experience.

Our integrated systems can be installed in ticket machines or in a parking garage entry/exit system, while our 1 to 1 systems can be installed in a variety of methods in ticket offices, service desks, in a taxi or on a bus, helping 1 on 1 communication where it is needed most.

Our large area loop systems can cover entire platforms to help passengers hear PA system announcements, like in the example of BART in San Francisco, California. These systems can also cover an entire seating area on a ferry or in train station waiting rooms.

Often combined with our Window Intercom Systems, our hearing loop technology already helps millions of passengers at some of the world’s busiest transportation hubs:

We are also able to offer custom solutions built to specific requirements. For example, at Chester railway station in NW England, which is located in a listed building and cutting into floors or walls is prohibited, we were able to design a custom hearing loop solution for the seating areas.

This retrofitted solution consisted of a wall-mounted mini hearing loop signs, containing a built-in phased array loop aerial which projects a uniformed magnetic signal coverage in seating areas across the station.

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Tourism & Leisure

Businesses in this sector face different challenges when it comes to making themselves hearing accessible. We have developed a unique Portable Large Area Hearing Loop system designed for use in leisure and outdoor venues. This may be an open-air leisure or recreational event such as a music concert or a local festival.

It is suitable for short term events held at tourist attractions, parks or museums.

This system is simple to install and dismantle at the end of the event. It is ideal as a temporary solution or for use in multiple venues. The kit comes with a built-in hearing loop driver, a 2-channel receiver and an auxiliary input.

For leisure parks which may combine both indoor and outdoor facilities we offer other applications. This includes our 1 to 1 systems for ticket offices, kiosks and food stands, large area room loop systems for shows or waiting areas, and integrated systems on vehicles such as tour buses and taxis. We also manufacture a number of systems for door entry applications.

Every business in this sector can benefit from being accessible for people with hearing loss.

Alongside our hearing loop technology, we offer our Contacta RF Tour Guide system, a high quality FM solution designed for wireless communication of groups of people with a variety of listening options. These includes highly amplified receivers with up to 120dB gain, as well as Personal Inductive Neckloops for hearing aid users.

At Thorpe Park, one of the Europe’s largest theme parks, we supplied and installed a variety of systems to help make the park more accessible. Contacta 1 to 1 hearing loop systems have been installed in all positions of the ticket office at the main entrance.

When the Statue of Liberty Museum in NYC, USA went through a complete renovation in 2018, twelve of our large area hearing loop systems have been installed using Direct Burial Cables. The unique low-spill layout of the cables delivered separate inductive sound transmission at key exhibits throughout the museum.

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Government & Public Sector

This sector is one of the most significant for hearing accessibility. From important government hearings to service points at local councils, this sector will always be in the public eye. Many venues at County Council offices and other public facilities benefit from our hearing loop systems.

This includes service desks, payment windows, conference rooms and council chambers.

In many venues, a combination of systems may be utilized both 1 to 1 and large area applications.

When hearing loop systems are installed in rooms that host confidential discussions, it is very useful to use our 3D Visualization Software. Using this advanced tool, we are able to design layouts with cancellation loops, controlling any signal overspill so that sound is contained within the room.

Contacta IR systems offer a high quality wireless communication inside a defined space. The signal is always contained within the walls of the room providing secure and confidential coverage. There is a variety of listening options including highly amplified receivers with up to 120dB volume gain and a personal Inductive Neckloop designed to help hearing aid users.

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Home Solutions

Our range of hearing loop systems includes several products designed to help people with hearing loss in their own home. We also have a range of integrated Door Entry loop systems, which can be built-in or retrofitted into existing intercom systems for high rise condominiums and apartment complexes.

Our intercom door entry systems aid clear communication. The systems can  be incorporated into elevators to transmit the sound of an alarm system or a conversation with the emergency services.  The system sends communication from the elevator control panel direct to the hearing instrument, via the hearing loop.

Our HLD3 Home Loop Driver offers a home hearing loop solution designed for use with a television.  The HLD3 can be kitted with a loop pad that’s placed under a seat cushion or room loop wire that can be installed around the perimeter of the room.

The home loop kit delivers crystal clear sound cutting out surrounding noises. When the hearing loop is installed with loop wire it allows freedom of movement throughout the entire room wirelessly to the user’s hearing instrument.

This example demonstrates the positive impact this system can have on the quality of life of a person living with hearing loss.

It is also possible to integrate our large area hearing loop drivers in more advanced ways, to cover entire homes, split the different sound sources within this area into zones to provide a life-like coverage via the loop system. The award winning ‘Smart Home’ in Sydney, Australia is a good example of what can be achieved with our hearing loop technology in a residential application.

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Integrated & OEM

We design and manufacture a wide range of integrated and OEM hearing loop systems. The possibilities of adding a hearing loop to an existing system are wide and varied. Solutions can be customized or bought off the shelf from our ready-made solutions.

It is relatively easy and affordable to add a hearing loop into existing devices making the benefit to people with hearing loss significant.

A correctly installed system can help people hear audio from a variety of applications including:

  • Ticket machines
  • ATM machines
  • Self-service and automated checkouts
  • Check-in stations
  • Door entry systems
  • Intercom systems
  • Fire evacuation and smoke detection systems
  • Parking garages
  • Elevators
  • Information kiosks
  • Bus, train, tram and taxi
  • Waiting areas and specified interaction points
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