FM and Remote Microphone Systems

Wireless mics streaming a speaker voice straight to the ear

Overview

Remote microphone systems place a microphone close to a talker and transmit the voice wirelessly to the listener, using FM radio, digital 2.4 GHz transmission, or Bluetooth, to hearing aids, cochlear implant processors, or dedicated receivers. Because the microphone is near the mouth, the speech signal stays strong relative to background noise and reverberation, overcoming the effects of distance that limit hearing aid microphones. Substantial improvements in signal to noise ratio have been documented, often making the difference between struggling and following a conversation. They are widely used in classrooms, where a teacher wears the microphone, and are also used by people with auditory processing disorder or unilateral hearing loss. Adults use clip on or table microphones in meetings, lectures, and restaurants. Older systems needed body worn receivers, but many modern hearing aids pair directly with manufacturer microphones. Systems can also connect to televisions and other audio sources.