SOUND LEVEL MONITORING APPARATUS

Sound level monitoring apparatus for a deaf person comprises a microphone, a discriminator connected to the microphone to provide an output signal in response to the attainment of a predetermined sound level threshold in the ambient sound detected by the microphone, and a sensory transducer responsive to the discriminator to provide a representation of the output signal. In use the threshold suitably represents the normal speech level of the user, and may be adjustable, and the transducer accordingly indicates whether the user should raise or lower his speech level in a given environment. The apparatus can operate in association with several thresholds with the lowest denoting normal speech and with one or more transducers providing respectively, mutually distinctive representations. The transducer or transducers can be of visual form, with use of differently colored light outputs or of vibratory tactile form, with different operating frequencies.