Clarity, a division of Plantronics, and supplier of assitive products for the hearing-impaired, recently introduced what it's calling "Digital Clarity Power" and the rest of us call proprietary digital signal processing technology that it says can "make phone conversations markedly clearer for millions of individuals worldwide."

"DCP technology is life-changing for the growing number of people who are hard of hearing and are unable to communicate effectively or clearly by telephone," the company said. "Up until this point, all standard and amplified telephones have been analog-based which means they simply transmit whatever sounds are broadcast into a receiver. Some phones have used digital signal processing and digital spread spectrum technology, but not in a way to make calls easier to hear and understand for hard of hearing users. In contrast, DCP-enabled telephones can distinguish between background noise and eliminate unwanted sounds from a user's conversations."

Many people who experience a hearing loss find background noise and unwanted sounds can make normal telephone calls difficult or even impossible to understand. Standard amplified phones may even compound this problem by amplifying static, sudden sounds and other distracting noise.

A computer chip inside a DCP-powered phone, in contrast, runs various algorithms to improve listening conditions. For instance, one algorithm eliminates constant noise, such as air conditioning or static, "creating a clear sound that is more conducive to conversation," according to the company.

Digital signal processing technology was first used in hearing aids in 1987 but the technology took nearly a decade to revolutionize the hearing aid industry. Today, DSP technology is considered essential for any user of a hearing aid. Clarity say it is the first telephone supplier to incorporate this patent pending technology into its products and is set to revolutionize the amplified telephone industry. Additionally, DCP telephones are the first in the world specifically designed to include settings for those users with and without hearing aids.

Clarity offers two phones featuring the patent-pending DCP technology. The corded C2210 ($179.95, above right) and the cordless C4205 ($149.95, above le telephones can be purchased from authorized Clarity distributors or on Clarity's website at www.clarityproducts.com.