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New fire alarm technology is more effective at waking people than traditional smoke alarms
Lifetone Technology™ understands the challenges that many people face when it comes to fire safety. The typical fire alarm uses a high 3100 Hz pure tone signal – resulting in a less than effective means of waking people with hearing loss, older adults, children and heavy sleepers. A 520 Hz square-wave signal – about the same frequency as a tornado siren – has been tested in six different studies and has been found to be most effective in waking people at risk. Consider this:
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95 percent of respondents with hearing loss woke to the 520 Hz square-wave alarm, an improvement of 39 percent over current smoke alarms. In addition, strobe lights awoke only 27 percent of participants with hearing loss, while bed shakers awoke 80 to 83 percent of participants with impaired hearing.
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The low-pitch T-3 sound woke up children 96 percent of the time. The high-pitch standard alarm awoke children only 57 percent of the time.
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All of the older adult participants woke up to a lower volume for the 520 Hz square-wave signal.
The Lifetone HL™ Bedside Fire Alarm and Clock utilizes our patented sensor to hear your existing smoke alarm. When your smoke alarm is triggered, the Lifetone HL alerts and wakes you using a low and multiple-frequency 520 Hz square-wave sound pattern and a bed shaker – the technologies proven most effective at waking people during a fire. The Lifetone HL is the only UL-Listed fire alarm to use these technologies.