Nokia’s hearing aid and cochlear implant bluetooth adapter

Nokia have announced the release of a new cell-phone accessory designed for users with hearing aids: The Nokia Wireless Loopset works with T-coil equipped hearing aids or cochlear implants, and slips around the user’s neck.

The Wireless Loopset is compatible with Bluetooth-ready handsets, essentially transforming the user’s hearing aid into a headset. The device features adjustable sidetone levels, optimized volume range, single-button calling, and a vibrating alert.

“The Nokia Wireless Loopset provides hearing aid users with a hassle-free and hands-free connection to their mobile phones,” said Nokia R&D Specialist, Peeta Piiparinen,. “Sound is amplified more efficiently, while the distance between the phone and hearing aid means that the possibility of interference is greatly reduced. The loopset filters out background noise, which increases speech discrimination, and offers excellent audio quality in a range of environments such as the car, office, or even in windy conditions outdoors.”

The device is expected to ship the first quarter of next year for 200 euros ($315.36 U.S.).