Help needed ' Hands on ALD planning and practical tips

[Hila]

Hi All,

It's been a rough time behind masks at work with many new people who need constant reminder on how to communicate with me (bilaterally implanted wearing 2 sonnets).  I've given up trying to remind because maybe they're just nervous taking masks off or feel like they're "breaking the law" being seen without it. 

It's not unusual for someone to pop into the room and start conversing with our team of 3 about projects, training and other valuable information.  It's also not unusual for the other two to run small talks and during down time and I have long accepted the fact I cannot expect to be a part of this most of the time.  But it's pretty hard when it's impromptu meetings  Some of these times i'd be hands on performing analytical work or just away from my desk and I can't really pull up any ALD or my remote etc and i also highly doubt any ONE of my systems can really help entirely in all situations when people are wearing masks.  The only thing that might work is the roger pen, but wearing the receivers the entire day is not extremely practical due to battery usage although i'm at the point that I don't really mind being the socially awkward person with the silver mic interviewing everybody who walks into the room.  

Thank you to those who made it this far through this long post.  I cannot wait for this pandemic be over and feel  bit more part of this world.  

Greetings to you all. If anyone have any piece of advice, i'd love to chat anytime.  

[Mary Beth]

@Nikki

@John R is getting ready to host a show and tell on connectivity options. It’s a one time GoogleMeet.  Keep an eye out for his upcoming announcement.

[John R]

1 hour ago, Nikki said:

The only thing that might work is the roger pen, but wearing the receivers the entire day is not extremely practical

Hi Nikki, 
I would suggest that being BiLateral the MED-EL Audio Link would be as effective as the Roger Pen for one on one conversation, however the Roger Select would possibly be a better solution as it is something that you can place on a flat surface like a desk or board room table and it will pick up multiple people easier and with better quality, it can also be worn with a neck strap if its just one person, 

JR

[ShannonB]

Hi @Nikki, I am dealing with the same challenges for return to the office and have been on my loudest program during the pandemic to better understand with masks.  This program was my "phone" program to give me an additional boost in volume that I can't get with the phone's volume and a quiet program to reduce the volume since my office environment has exposed ductwork with a loud HVAC system. I am frequently on construction sites for office renovations during the Pandemic. 

By chance, do you have a decibel sound meter app for your smart phone that you can measure the noise level.  The open office environment should not be louder than 48 dB per the Well Building Standard.  If the office is too loud, then it is making it more challenging for you to understand.  Does your office have a sound masking system?   I have found sound masking systems to be a hindrance when I had hearing aids before being implanted 5 years ago.  The sound masking system in my office has been turned off at my request since it was too difficult to understand with masks and the HVAC has been turned up to push more air into the space.  I dread what it will be like when it will be turned back on.  The sound masking speaker close to your workstation can be turned off which will lower the dB by 5 decibels.    You may want to ask your audiologist to find out what sound level your processor is set at in case you need a new program to give a boost of volume.  I keep my fine tuner in close proximity to go between different programs when I am in the office.

I use Sonnet 1 bilaterally and have been told that there is improvement with Sonnet 2 with ASM 3.0 for transient and ambient background noise.  

[Mary Beth]

@Nikki

another suggestion….

try staying in your adaptive always program at work if you have one.  It kind of super zooms in on speech.

 

[Hila]

Hi @ShannonB. Thank you so much for the support and helpful hints.  I work at an environmental laboratory.  It's a relatively large shared work space with ultra filtering system fixed in middle of ceiling. There's some noise and I can get it measured but I doubt it's over the limit as we all asked to modify setting as no one was comfortable with the noise level it's been making in the original setting.   I do realise that ANY background noise is more disruptive to me because my brain just don't filter out and no matter how many re-maps i'll have done. I'm just not having it easy going through a whole day around people.  

@Mary Bethas much as I like the front focus program, it is giving me brain fatigue.   I find the same difficult with any remote microphone system i've used.   Wondering if anyone else experience the same ?? Is it something I can build up tolerance towards, more I use it? 

 

@ShannonB I am really not sure if there's any sound masking speakers in our new building where I work now, but i'll ask the operation manager.  Thanks for the pointer. 

Working with multiple people all at once is huge challenge for me.  I hope for you it'll get as smooth as it can be.  When are you returning to on site setting @ShannonB?  

 

[Hila]

9 hours ago, John R said:

 Roger Select would possibly be a better solution as it is something that you can place on a flat surface like a desk or board room table and it will pick up multiple people easier and with better quality, it can also be worn with a neck strap if its just one person, 
 

First,  i'm looking forward to your presentation.  

About the Select, i'm huge fan. I really like using this device when attending pre planned meetings that are held around a table. It works GREAT  and I don't miss a word. 

Permanently keeping it on around my usual work area (large room) when multiple people move around is the biggest challenge since conversations can be held anytime at either corner of the room and without any notice.  I need advice on how to have this more readily available.   I find keeping the roger 21s on at all times is a huge battery power drainer. Short battery life is probably the biggest limiting factor in my CI journey right now.

 

I find Audiolink to be the quickest setup because it's always ready to go but I find it very limited in range (only picks up closest speaker) and it pulls much background noise along with speech. 

Trying to capture conversation in dynamic environment isn't very practical with either those devices. 

 

I have them all handy at my work area. I'm wondering about the audiolink now... when connected,  does it override microphone setting of sonnet 1? perhaps i need to change to front focus map using fine tuner and then connect to audiolink? 

[Mary Beth]

@Nikki

I have heard people refer to the adaptive mic setting as front focused but in my experience it doesn’t actually operate as front focused only.  For example, I was gardening on a quiet day.  My back was to the sidewalk.  I heard 2 people talking.  I thought they were on the sidewalk behind me.  I turned my head.  They were on the sidewalk behind me BUT across the street!  Another example of adaptive mic setting…. We were at a restaurant sitting across from each other on a booth.  It was a noisy place.  Adaptive mic setting focused on the person across from me at our table (in front).  Until a waitress with a louder voice approached a different booth.  Even though my dinner mate continued to speak and was situated directly in front of me, adaptive switched focus to the waitress who was at a diagonal angle to me.

Adaptive will focus on speech in front of us in noise and dampen sounds behind us.  But that doesn’t tell its entire behavior in my experience.

 

As for brain fatigue when staying in adaptive always all day - a MAPping tweak may help with that or lowering your volume may also help.  Many people choose adaptive always as their main program mic setting.

Same thing with Roger input.  Roger slightly boosts volume (in addition to using an adaptive mic in noise which is why it out performs AudioLink’s fixed mic in noise).  Try decreasing volume a bit so listening for long stretches is comfortable.  

[Hila]

I'll give it a try @Mary Beth

 

Do you suppose sensitivity buttons affect as well? If the usual 2 co workers are normally closer to me should I try reduce sensitivity? Will I hear them more clearly without significant effort while group talk? (Losing track when not directly spoken to and when they change subject rapidly)

[Mary Beth]

@Nikki

I have a comfortable MAP in adaptive always and do not find that I need to adjust sensitivity or volume.  I think experimenting a bit may help you figure out what is best for you in that situation.  When are you eligible for an upgrade?  The ambient noise reduction feature of ASM 3 may help you a lot at work.  It is in the Sonnet 2 and Rondo 3.

[Hila]

I think there's at least couple of years till eligibility.  Last time at UNC we discussed waiting for both sides to become eligible to match available technologies.  Latest activation was Oct 31st 2018

So if it's 5yrs then i've got couple of years with my current Sonnets. 

I'll make sure to play around a bit more with fine tuner on Friday when going back to work.  

Thank you so much for the notes. 🌼

[ShannonB]

Hi @Nikki, I work for a small business and going into the office on an as-needed basis.  We have not started hybrid return yet but I am meeting with contractors and clients in person on job sites and traveling. I agree with you that being on your loudest program to hear with masks in a noisy environment is exhausting and has increased tinnitus for me in recent months.

Whenever I am in the office, before and during the pandemic, I have been using my softest adaptive program and toggling back and forth when I have a discussion with a colleague or take a phone call.  Sometimes, I just keep my DAI's (Direct Audio Input with FM battery sleeve) with my 90% cables to keep the volume down and be on notice to take a phone call and disconnect the pins to have an in-person conversation.  My way of having "earbuds" to give the impression that I'm on a call if I want to give the impression of not to be disturbed.  

It is helpful to have the sound meter to check the office if there is a noisier spot than others and you can help move the conversation away from the spot.  In my office, there is a 10 dB difference in proximity to one FPB/VAV box to another FPB/VAV box.  (Fan powered box and variable air volume).  

I still have another year to go for my second ear to be eligible so I can replace both processors simultaneously, bilaterally implanted 8 months apart and approaching my 5 year anniversary on my first ear.  I have worn hearing aids since I was 2 years old.  

[Hila]

Hi All, 

Wanted to thank all of you @ShannonB @Mary Beth @John R for reading and commenting with support and suggestions. @John Ri'm looking forward to hear your presentation about connectivity. Where do I sign up?

Friday I put the remote into use and experimented. Tried what my audi put down as "noise management" in slot#3. I'm wondering if that's the same as adaptive.   Might try to find out via email because I can't remember.  My first map is called "everyday " . I'm not sure about the mic setting but i'm thinking it's probably whatever the standard is.  Then #2 is a louder version of #1.

I punched #4 ..and found it very comfortable and it cut out ambient noise completely!  Turns out I found my old program which was saved on #4 ..and worked really well cutting background noise out while keeping speech clear and comfortable all day.  

I had a better day at work and I also talked to my coworker to explain the challenges and they came up with suggestions on how to help . 

There's still work to do as far as flexing with different technologies but my takeaway from the situation is nothing come in place of excellent map (audi) and great deal of patience and perseverance.

 

 

[Mary Beth]

@Nikki

This is how I ran LiveTranscribe on an android tablet in a stand connected to Roger and connected to a BT mic.  Can be set up either way or just use the tablet’s built in mic.