Universities & Colleges · Learning Spaces
Modern teaching spaces across Scottish universities are equipped with Phonak Roger assistive listening technology — designed to connect seamlessly to your hearing device.
What's in the Room Make Your Aids ReadyRoger digital wireless technology delivers speech and other audio sources directly to your hearing aids or cochlear implant.
What's in the Room
Teaching rooms are fitted with three core Phonak Roger devices. Together they broadcast speech and audio from any source directly to your hearing aids or cochlear implant processor.
The fixed transmitter at the heart of the room's Roger system. Connected to the room's existing AV and audio setup, it broadcasts the lecturer's voice and all room audio wirelessly to hearing device users throughout the space.
Lecture HallsTheatresMeeting Rooms
A wall-mounted device that connects your hearing aids or cochlear implant to the room's Roger system automatically as you walk past it — no buttons, no manual setup. Typically located at the door, on the teaching desk, at the back of the room, or on the ceiling.
Teaching DesksEntrance DoorsCeilingTeams Rooms
Connects any room audio source — laptop, projector, lecture capture system, or presentation equipment — into the Roger wireless network, so you receive all media audio directly through your hearing device alongside the lecturer's voice.
Media StreamingTeams RoomsBefore You Arrive
To connect to the Roger system in your teaching room, your hearing device needs to be correctly set up. There are three options depending on the type of hearing device you use.
Phonak hearing aids have built-in Roger receivers. Your device can connect directly to the Roger system in teaching rooms without any additional equipment.
Your audiology department should activate these built-in receivers — if this hasn't happened, it can be easily arranged. See the Getting Started with Roger section below.
All cochlear implant processors have the facility to incorporate an external Roger receiver. This connects directly to your processor and gives you full wireless access to the room's Roger system.
You may be able to make an application for a Roger receiver as part of the DSA (Disabled Students' Allowance) process — speak to your Disability Services team about this.
You can still access the full Roger system using the telecoil (T-position) on your hearing aid together with a Roger Neckloop receiver.
The Neckloop is a lightweight loop worn around the neck. It receives the Roger signal wirelessly and sends it directly to your hearing aids via the telecoil — giving you the same quality of access as a built-in receiver.
Getting Started with Roger
If your Phonak hearing aids haven't been set up to work with the Roger system yet, the videos below show you exactly how to activate the built-in receivers using two of the most common Roger transmitters. The Phonak Touchscreen may be found in some of the Teams meeting rooms. Once activated, your aids will connect to any Roger system automatically.
Step-by-step guide to activating the built-in Roger receiver (RogerDirect) in your Phonak hearing aids using the Roger Touchscreen Mic 3 — found in lecture rooms, seminar spaces, and some Teams meeting rooms.
Step-by-step guide to activating the built-in Roger receiver in your Phonak hearing aids using the Roger On — used in smaller teaching rooms, tutorials, and 1:1 settings.
Helpful Tips
Make sure your hearing aids are fully charged before attending a lecture or seminar — a low battery can affect wireless connectivity.
Once your receivers are activated, entering the room is all you need to do. Walk past the Wall Pilot device and your aids connect automatically.
Simply walk past the Wall Pilot again.
Some hearing aids need to be in the correct programme to receive Roger signals. If in doubt, check with your audiologist.
How to Access the System
Once your hearing device is set up — either activated by your audiologist, or with a Neckloop — connecting to the system in any teaching room is completely automatic. There is nothing to press or configure.
The Roger Wall Pilot broadcasts a connection signal throughout the room. Your hearing device detects this and connects instantly when you walk past it.
The Wall Pilot may be at the door entrance, on the teaching desk, at the back of the room, or mounted on the ceiling. Look for the small Phonak Roger unit.
Finding the Wall Pilot
The Roger Wall Pilot can be installed in several positions depending on the room layout. Here are the most common locations to look for when you enter a teaching space.
Mounted on the wall beside or above the main entrance — the most common location. Walk through the doorway and your device will connect as you enter.
Placed on or beside the lecturer's desk at the front of the room. Walk past the front on arrival to ensure a strong initial connection.
Fixed to the rear wall of larger lecture theatres — particularly useful for students who enter from the back or sit at the rear of the space.
In some rooms the Wall Pilot is ceiling-mounted for wider coverage. Simply entering the room will trigger an automatic connection.
Quick Reference Guide
This guide, developed with the University of Edinburgh, gives a simple visual overview of how to connect to the Roger system in any equipped teaching room.
Whether you need your Roger receiver activated, or have questions about the Roger system please get in contact.
✉ Contact the ALT-RTIL Explore the Assistive Listening Technology Hub