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Press, 28 October 1981, Page 25

Cordless audio earmuffs, developed for use in primary schools (particularly for children with learning difficulties), are now available for industrial use. It means that workers in heavy industry can listen to music, or radio programmes, while they work, and they can also be contacted directly through a paging system. The earmuffs are produced by Sungrow, Ltd, an Auckland electronics company, which first developed the cordless muffs for primary school use. “Then we realised that they could be of equal benefit to industrial workers,” says Mr Peter Maire, one of two Auckland electronics engineers (the other is Mr Barrie Colgrave) who developed the system. “The type of industrial job that requires ear protection

is generally repetitive, dirty, or uninteresting, and the Sungrow audio earmuff will help to make the environment more pleasant, while giving protection at the same time. An electronic device, built into the earmuff, receives either an entertainment or communication signal from a loop of wire which is fixed around the perimeter of the factory or work area. The two ends of the wire loop are connected to a loop energiser, which incorporates a broadcast radio tuner, and a microphone paging system. In addition, there is an auxiliary input which allows for the introduction of firealarm signals, time clock signals, or any pre-recorded programme. Nickel cadmium batteries in the headphones are easily recharged overnight (a battery charger is supplied), and have an 80-hour playing capacity when fully charged.