b"Infrared systems:These systems workmachines help people with hearing loss or like a TV remote. With the use of infraredspeech difficulties communicate by phone light waves, a transmitter will send speechwithatypewriterkeyboardandscreen. from a sound system. The problem with IRToday, new devices such as laptops, PDAs, systems is their lack of ability to be usedand cell phones have made TTY machines during daytime as the sunlight will affectalmost obsolete. Text messaging and voice the transmission. It is ideal if you are havingrecognitionsoftwarethattranslatessign conversations with another individual indoorslanguage into text or speech are also popular. and they are within proximity of you.Captioned telephones provide a transcript of Personal ampliers:Personal ampliersspoken conversations for those with mild to are best used for situations such as wantingmoderate hearing loss. to hear the TV louder, being outdoors, or if youAlerting devicesare in a car. The device can help to increaseThe last type of AT device to assist with the sound levels the person or thing you wantcommunication are alerting devices. Alerting toamplifyanddecreasethebackgroundor alarm devices use sound, light, vibrations, sounds. Like other assistive listening devices, the amplied sound can be heard through aor a mix of these to notify someone when receiver the listener wears, either as a headsetsomething is happening. Clocks and wake-up or earbuds.alarms can wake a person with ashing lights, Augmentative and alternativeloud noises, or a gentle shake. communication devices Visualalertsignalers watchforsounds AAC devices can be used in conversationsfrom things such as doorbells and phones. in situations where you may feel you areWhen the phone rings, the signaler will having difficulty expressing yourself properly,vibrate or ash a light to let the individual either through producing speech or writing.know the phone requires attention. Remote The simplest AAC device is a picture boardreceivers around the house can also alert a ortouchscreenwithpicturesofcommonpersonfromanyroom.Portablevibrating items and activities. For example, touching apagers can notify parents or caretakers when picture of a glass asks for a drink. These boardsa baby is crying. Some baby monitors can can be customized based on the persons age,even analyze a baby's cry and show a picture education, job, and interests. Keyboards, touchto indicate if the baby is hungry, bored, or screens, and sometimes a person's limitedsleepy. speechcanalsobeusedtocommunicateChoosing the right communication aids words, with some devices having text displaysmayrequireatrial-and-errorapproach. for easier communication.There may be days when you require more Speech-generating devices turn words orassistance from technology than others. To pictures into speech with various voice options.learn more about which type of communication Some use prerecorded words, while others canaid may be useful, discuss your options with say any word typed in. Software is available toyour healthcare team, and remember there turn computers into speaking devices. TTYis no one-size-ts-all approach to this. 11 msfocusmagazine.org"