• Apps for hearing loss

Telephones and Hearing Loss – let’s find solutions that work for you!

Saturday, September 7, 2019  2:00 – 4:00 PM
Northborough Public Library, 34 Main St., Northborough, MA

Please join HLAA Central Massachusetts Chapter to learn how to make the most of your mobile or landline phone when you have a hearing loss.

 

 

• Captioning

• Purchasing advice

• Emergency alerts

• Text to 9-1-1

• Work and home solutions

• Two ears are better than one

 

 

Presented by: Andrea Kaneb

Andrea is an educator and advocate for people with hearing loss.

She uses her own lifelong hearing loss experiences and engineering background to offer tools and strategies aside from hearing aids/cochlear implants that people too often don’ t know about.

She is a member of the Network of Consumer Hearing Assistive Technology Trainers (NCHATT, NIDILRR grant #90RE5020) which does not sell or endorse any products..

 

CART is provided (that’s “Communication Access Realtime Translation” so you can read everything being said during this meeting and won’t miss anything!)

The Northborough Library parking lot is accessed by Patty Lane.

There is ample free parking at the Northborough Library.   However, your GPS will bring you to the front of the library, where there is no parking. The parking lot is behind the library, accessed via Patty Lane. For more information please visit http://www.northboroughlibrary.org/hours.asp

 

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Fall 2019 ASL Classes!

Three Levels – at the College of the Holy Cross

10-week classes with a deaf instructor.

Starting September 9, 2019

Registration deadline is September 4, 2019

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Google has been doing some amazing work on developing new features for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Here is a list with links to videos.

Live Transcribe (Developed by Google).  This app is now available and will transcribe in-person speech using Google’s industry leading speech-to-text engine.  It will now also identify sounds.  For example, clapping, a doorbell … etc.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLCwjIaPXwA [youtube.com]

 

Live Captions (Developed by Google).  This is a service that will transcribe all media on a smartphone.  For example, it will transcribe podcasts, movies and personal videos.  It will be made available before the end of this year.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL-8Xfx6S5o&t=7s [youtube.com]

 

Live Relay (Developed by Google).  This service will transcribe phone calls using automatic speech recognition.  It is being actively worked on by Google but does not yet have an estimated delivery date.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSfUf3-1bbQ [youtube.com]

 

Sound Amplifier (Developed by Google).  This app is currently available.  Used with earbuds, the app amplifies the sound, and can adjust the pitch, of the sounds around the user.  So it is for in-person communications.  However, soon the app will also be able to amplify all audio on the device (i.e., music, movies, podcasts …etc).  And I expect that in the future the app will also be able to amplify phone calls (and change the pitch).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hPlNoF1Tyc&t=633s [youtube.com]  Basically, there will soon be built in amplification (and pitch adjustment) for all audio.

Respectfully,

Robert Felgar

CEO
robert@razmobility.com

Office: 703-261-7036 | Mobile: 703-517-9912

www.razmobility.com [razmobility.com]

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Open Captioning will both be available for the performances on Wednesday, August 7 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, August 11 at 1:00 pm.  To reserve tickets for this service call 401-421-2787.

Gala Pro Service will be available for all performances, please call the box office for more information.

(https://www.galapro.com/–  It is an app to download on to your phone and it will caption the performance.

Play runs 2 hours and 45 minutes including an intermission.

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New England HLAA Chapters Turn Out for All-Day Workshop

Central Massachusetts Leader Beth Wilson warms up the audience.

May 17, 2019: People came from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont for a day of learning and dialog. HLAA Central Massachusetts Chapter Leader Beth Wilson, Ph.D., and members of that chapter organized the event at the Northborough (MA) Public Library.

Kevin Franck, Ph.D., HLAA Board of Trustees member and director of audiology at the Mass. Eye and Ear Institute, talked about Over-the-Counter hearing devices. He walked the audience through how the new law for OTC came about, why, and what the future might look like.

HLAA Executive Director Barbara Kelley spoke in the afternoon about HLAA and reflected on the last 40 years of the organization. She also enthusiastically talked about the work of HLAA now and what we can look forward to in the future.

Stephen A. Florio, the new commissioner of the Massachusetts Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing attended and encouraged HLAA Chapter members to get involved in advocacy and make their voices heard. He cited the recent Maryland hearing loop law that Governor Hogan signed as an example of what people can do in their states.

Peggy Ellertsen, Newton resident and member of the HLAA Board of Trustees, said, “I noticed on all of the faces of people in the room what I think was a sense of great pride in the quality of what our association continues to accomplish.”

Thank you to all the HLAA members and guests who came out for the day.

HLAA Board of Trustee Members Nancy Sonnabend (Boston) and Peggy Ellertson (Newton) enjoy the New England Chapters meeting.

 

Membership Benefits

NEW Membership Benefit (U.S. memberships only)
hearOclub is a hearing aid and cochlear implant battery subscription service which delivers DieHard brand batteries on a set schedule (with free shipping!). New HLAA members sign up for hearOclub using a coupon code online at hearoclub.com or by calling 833.LISTEN-2 (833.547.8362). Look for the coupon code in the email confirmation when you join or renew, or in the New Member Packet which will arrive in your mailbox. Current members, sign up todayusing the coupon code HLAAmember at hearoclub.com.

Sign up for a hearOclub subscription and receive $30 worth of free batteries plus a battery tester keychain – a total value of $40, exclusive to HLAA members!

Attention cochlear implant users! hearOclub now offers a 675P battery. See more information at hearOclub.com/cochlear.

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For more information click on

https://www.hearingloss.org/make-an-impact/become-a-memberrenew/

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HLAA members have the knowledge that they are an active participant in a highly-respected organization that is a force for change working on behalf of people with hearing loss.

Individual/Couple/Student Member Benefits

• Hearing Life – the bimonthly magazine about the latest technology, products and information about how to live well with hearing loss. Read stories from people who have hearing loss as well as articles from leading professionals in the field. HLAA members have access to the online version of Hearing Life before it arrives in the mail.
• Discounted rate to the annual HLAA Convention held in various cities across the country (discount also applies to all members in the Couple/Family membership)
• Discounts on certain products and services.HLAA does not endorse the product or service discounts offered on this page, nor does exclusion suggest disapproval. 
• The support found in our extensive network of chapters
• Online activities such as HLAA Webinars (captioned), forums, groups for young adults, parents, surveys, Hearing Life e-News, and more
• Participation in advocacy campaigns

NEW Membership Benefit (U.S. memberships only)
hearOclub is a hearing aid and cochlear implant battery subscription service which delivers DieHard brand batteries on a set schedule (with free shipping!). New HLAA members sign up for hearOclub using a coupon code online at hearoclub.com or by calling 833.LISTEN-2 (833.547.8362). Look for the coupon code in the email confirmation when you join or renew, or in the New Member Packet which will arrive in your mailbox. Current members, sign up todayusing the coupon code HLAAmember at hearoclub.com.

Sign up for a hearOclub subscription and receive $30 worth of free batteries plus a battery tester keychain – a total value of $40, exclusive to HLAA members!

Attention cochlear implant users! hearOclub now offers a 675P battery. See more information at hearOclub.com/cochlear.