New Phone Technology Helps Millions with Hearing Loss

Clarity unveiled Digital Clarity Power, DCP(TM), a digital signal processing technology that will make phone conversations markedly clearer for millions of individuals worldwide. Clarity timed the announcement to coincide with the December 3 observance of the UN International Day of Disabled Persons to emphasize the enormous impact DCP technology will have on individuals around the world with hearing loss disabilities. DCP technology is life-changing for the growing number of people who are hard of hearing and are unable to communicate effectively or clearly by telephone. Up until this point, all standard and amplified telephones have been analog-based, which means they simply transmit whatever sounds are broadcast into a receiver. Some phones have used digital signal processing and digital spread spectrum technology, but not in a way to make calls easier to hear and understand for hard of hearing users. In contrast, DCP enabled telephones can distinguish between background noise and eliminate unwanted sounds from a user’s conversations. « Hearing loss has reached epidemic proportions. In fact, a recent survey revealed that half of Baby Boomers – over 38 million people in this age group alone – have difficulty hearing, » said Dr. Michael Glasscock, founder of The EAR Foundation, an organization devoted