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Editorial in La Nacion, Argentina
T Loop for the Hearing Impaired
The Argentine Society of the Hearing Impaired has set for
themselves the task of placing in theaters and movie houses,
a system that magnetically amplifies sound through a wire
ring installed around the premises. This ring amplifies sounds
and transmits them directly to the hearing aids of the hearing
impaired, allowing them to fully enjoy the shows presented.
This association, set to promote the program "Without
Barriers," has installed more than a dozen of these systems
in several places in Argentina since 1998, when they installed
the first in the Teatro Maipo of Buenos Aires. They have also
looped the Teatro Colon, the Pablo Neruda Hall of the complex
La Plaza, the Planetarium Galileo Galilei, the 16 movie theaters
of the Recoleta Village, the children's theater called "The
Magic Hat," the special education school, "Jose
A Terry," of San Juan Province, and the Teatro Coliseo
Podesta of the city of La Plata.
The association estimates the cost to loop small rooms at
$400, while it is $1,000 for the larger ones. Among other
possibilities, there is the option to partially wire a large
auditorium for a sum of about 200 pesos (70 dollars).
The high purpose for this society is, eventually, to bring
this technological advance to all the cinemas and theaters
of the country; for this reason they are requesting contributions
from anyone who is able to do it. They are also pursuing the
option of displaying subtitles in Argentine movies, as is
done in other countries of the world.
This technology has changed the quality of life for many
people, reaching standards unimaginable in years past. To
make the exceptional and extraordinary into something common
and for everyday use, is the objective of these people who
wish to live full lives, in conditions similar to the rest
of humanity. The very small hearing aid is a miracle of technology
that doesn't call attention to itself anymore. The T Loop
is technology that deserves the same fate.
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