Some people may see being deaf or hard of hearing as a devastating disability that will deny the person suffering from many of the simple joys in life. This is a wrong conclusion to maintain, and there are several reasons why.
Deaf people are more than capable of living just as normal and functional of a life as anyone else born with normal hearing abilities. Technology provides this versatility for many. Here is a quick summary of a few of the most useful tech gadgets that are built to assist the deaf and hard of hearing.
Video Doorbells
Normal everyday things in life aren’t quite the same if you can’t hear anything. How are you supposed to know when your friends are at your door? There are several simple solutions to this daily challenge that utilized today’s technology. You can have a video doorbell installed to where you will have the capability to see who is at your door, and be alerted by a flashing light. This will also make it easier for your deaf friends to communicate through the door.
Bed Shaker Alarm Clocks
This is one of the neat little contraptions to wake you up in the morning. Alarm clocks that are strictly audible don’t stand a chance at waking the deaf. The bed shake alarm is a small flat device that you can place under your mattress that will vibrate your bed when it’s time to wake up. It’s somewhat shocking to a hearing person, though, so make sure you let your friends know before a sleepover. Otherwise, you may find them on the floor in the morning. They also come equipped with the capability to link up to your phone’s bluetooth.
TTY & Phone Call Assistance
Now a phone call with a deaf person is an interesting experience. The deaf community is no longer limited to texting when it comes to telephone communication. There are several different options. With a TTY telephone provides a readout panel attached to a typewriter keyboard. It’s actually one of the more old fashioned technologies. There is Skype now to support video chats, among other applications that support video communication. You can also call 711 anywhere in the nation to make a phone call assisted with an interpretation service.
Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alert Systems
One of the less thought of problems deaf and hearing impaired people face daily is recognizing a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm. If you’re a hearing person, you could never mistake the sound of a smoke alarm, but what do you do is you can’t hear? You have to find a visual stimulation to alert you. This type of alarm will make the normal annoying sounds, but it comes equipped with a highly annoying flashy light to alert the deaf.