AWWA School @ Bedok, Singapore

Featured Project

Hearing Loop Installation at AWWA School

AWWA School @ Bedok, Singapore

AWWA School is a specialized institution that educates children between the ages of 7 and 18 with multiple disabilities and autism. The school caters specialized education with multiple disabilities and autism to grow the potential for independence and improve the quality of life of students with special needs.

 

Located at 50 Bedok Reservoir Crescent, AWWA School at Bedok is a focal point serving children with autism. The school also delves into collaboration opportunities with their stakeholders to expose the students to the various platforms in the community, whereby they could develop, adapt and establish the skills they have acquired.

 

Flat Copper Tape to be implemented on top of Metal Flooring of AWWA School’s MPH
Flat Copper Tape to be implemented on top of Metal Flooring of AWWA School’s MPH

Multi-Purpose Hall

One of the key features of the school is its Multi-Purpose Hall (MPH), which is designed to accommodate different activities and events. However, implementing a hearing enhancement solution in the MPH proved challenging due to the high metal loss associated with the metal flooring.

Before installation, it is essential to understand the type of flooring used to help us develop a solution for the construction needs. The type of flooring used in AWWA School’s MPH is metal flooring.

 

Our biggest challenge was to overcome the high level of Metal Loss while implementing Flat Copper Tape to provide the electromagnetic field as part of the Hearing Enhancement Solution.

 

What is Metal Loss?

  • The presence of metals near a loop will result in the signals being “bounced” back, resulting in a cancellation of the loop signal to a certain degree, affecting the Hearing Aid user with the Telecoil function.
  • Common Metals found in installation sites would be:
    • Rebars or wire mesh in concrete floor/walls.
    • Metal reinforcement in walls or ceilings.
    • Overhead metal support structures.
  • Metal loss results in a loss of high frequencies which causes the sound quality to be muffled.

When metal objects are present near a loop, signals are bounced back, causing some cancellation of the loop signal. Rebars or wire mesh in concrete floors and walls, metal reinforcement in walls or ceilings, and overhead metal support structures are all common metals in installation sites. Metal loss causes a loss of high frequencies, resulting in muffled sound quality.

 

Metal Loss Test

Why is Metal Loss Test required before installation?

  • Crucial to carry out Metal Loss Test, especially when there is a significant metal content in the construction.
  • To ensure that customers do not have to over-invest in a costly loop driver when it is unnecessary.
  • To have a guaranteed preliminary result, the designed loop system with the necessary factors will perform within expectations. Flat Copper Tape will be implemented on top of the Metal Flooring of AWWA School’s MPH.

To ensure that the school will not over-invest in a costly loop driver, a Metal Loss Test is required before installation. This test is essential when the construction has significant metal content. The designed loop system with the essential factors can perform within expectations by conducting this test.

 

AWWA School's MPH Metal Loss Test
Metal Loss Test carried out at AWWA School’s MPH to analyze preliminary results before installation of Flat Copper Tape.

 

Type of Loop: Low Spill Multiloop

 

To contain the signal spill not far from the loop boundary. Usually used to prevent the magnetic field generated by the loop from causing interference with electrical equipment like electric guitars and dynamic microphones around the stage area.

 

Challenges faced: High Metal Loss

 

Metal flooring of the MPH will result in a muffled or dull audio quality for Hearing Aid users.

 

Solution

 

To overcome this, the installation team used two sets of C14-2Ns amplifiers, which is a higher capacity driver that allowed the driver to compensate for Metal Loss and achieve audio quality and clarity on par with or exceeding the IEC 60118-4 standards, also known as the International Performance standard for induction loop systems.

 

Fat Copper Tape

 

 

Finished Hearing Loop Installation at AWWA School
Finished Hearing Loop Installation at AWWA School

 

Contact Us

 

If you are looking to improve the accessibility of your projects for people with hearing disabilities, consider our state-of-the-art induction loop system. Our system is designed to provide high-quality, clear sound to hearing aid users by creating a magnetic field picked up by telecoil-enabled hearing aids.

 

Don't let metal loss or other acoustic challenges prevent you from delivering an exceptional client experience. Contact us today at +65 6817 5100 or email us at hes@listeninglab.sg to learn more about how our induction loop system can help you create inclusive and accessible spaces. You can also ask for a quotation by providing us with the space requirements.

 

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