Would You Use a Hearing Loop Receiver for Real-Time Subtitles?

Assistive Listening Devices
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Hi everyone,

I’m part of an engineering team that recently developed a proof-of-concept USB-C hearing loop receiver designed to work with a smartphone app (like Hearsight’s real-time transcription/subtitle service). The idea is to provide a compact, low-cost alternative to traditional induction loop receivers (like the Ampetronic ILR3+) by connecting directly to a phone for processing.
How it works:

  • The receiver picks up audio from hearing loop systems (e.g., in theaters, churches, or public venues).
  • It sends the signal via USB-C to a phone, where an app (like Hearsight’s) can transcribe speech or enhance audio for the user.
  • Unlike standalone loop receivers, this would integrate with assistive apps for subtitles, noise filtering, or personalized adjustments.

Question for the community:

  • Would you find a dedicated, phone-compatible hearing loop receiver useful?
  • What features would make it most valuable (e.g., battery-free operation, adjustable gain, app compatibility)?
  • Do you currently use hearing loops, and if so, what limitations do you face with existing hardware?

This is early-stage research, so we’d love to hear your thoughts! If there’s enough interest, companies like Hearsight could develop it as a commercial product.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

1 Like
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I use hearing loop and the worse problem for me is time lag. It’s most probably only a fraction of a nanosecond but can make receiverd sound almost unintelligible.

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This sounds absolutely great! Using subtitles on TV since I was a toddler has turned me into a speed-reader, so I welcome this approach.

I am however very sceptical about the feasibility of (nearly) real-time speech-to-text conversion. When using this recently (using “AI”) for subbing a movie it worked only when I could hear the text clearly myself, too…

Your problem is that interpreting speech requires so much brain power- including context and understanding the topic. Good luck with the effort, though.

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Why are you working on old technology? Auracast is the future. This seems like a waste of money and time to me.

No, I’ve never used a loop system and it has no value to me.