Question
How can the Starkey Table Mic be Utilized?
Answer
The Table Microphone is meant to provide enhanced communications in a wide variety of listening situations. The device utilizes eight-beam forming directional microphones and can be paired to one set of Edge AI, AI or Livio devices. It's streaming the sound quality directly to the hearing aids has three primary uses:
- Automatic mode: where you would set it in the middle of a table, and it identifies each speaker as they speak, and directs the beam-forming microphone in for a polar plot to that voice and it will automatically shift from speaker to speaker.
- Manual mode: where you can lock it into one or two speakers and have it stay focused on them.
- Surround mode: which is essentially omnidirectional microphones, so all eight of the mics are on, picking up speakers from all around them. This is really ideal for maybe small group situations where there isn't a lot of background noise but you want to enhance picking up everybody.
You can also use the Table Mic for secondary uses:
- Remote microphone: There is a magnetic lanyard that comes with it and you can hang it around the neck. It will pick up their voice and stream it to the hearing aid user.
- Stream: You can plug it into media as well via a 3.5-millimeter audio jack to stream from a TV, computer or a smart device.
- Earbuds: It also comes with a set of earbuds. You can actually plug the earbuds into it and the audio would be sent to the earbuds. This might be used for an assistive listening device if you will.
Additionally, the Table Mic is a lithium-ion device. It has a 12-hour battery life, so it could stream for up to 12 hours continuously. It only takes two hours to recharge it and it has a transmission distance of up to about 50 feet or 15 meters.
This Ask the Expert is an excerpt from Hearing Technology’s Leading Edge with Starkey’s Livio Edge AI, Livio AI & Livio. For more information, visit www.starkey.com or visit Starkey's Partner Page on AudiologyOnline.
