Review of Alarm Technologies and Their Effectiveness to Wake Deaf and Hard of Hearing Populations While Sleeping

It is estimated that almost 1 out of 100 US citizens over the age of 12 experience hearing loss classified as severe (>60 through 80 dBA) or profound (>80 dBA) hearing loss. More than 14 out of 100 US citizens over the age of 12 experience hearing loss to some degree. Hearing loss is also more prevalent in older age; as the population ages, hearing loss is likely to increase. Audible and visible alarms are required in sleeping rooms, such as hotel rooms which may be occupied by people who are deaf or hearing impaired. Traditional fire alarms emit a high-frequency sound to alert the occupants of an imminent threat; however, these are typically neither appropriate nor effective at warning people who are deaf, and to some extent, people who are hard of hearing. This effect is further enhanced when people are asleep. People with significant hearing loss often compensate by using alternative devices such as bed shakers, portable devices that alert them of alarm activation by detecting the audible signal and vibrating in response, among others. Despite the critical role these devices play in life safety for people with hearing loss, they are not standardized and their effectiveness is not fully understood. This presentation will provide a review of the currently available alternative alarm and detection technologies and their respective characteristics, use cases, regulations and certification, and approval processes for the deaf and hearing-impaired community.