How do Deaf People Wake up?
Have you ever wondered how deaf people wake up in the morning?
I have been deaf since birth. I’ve met people who aren’t aware of, or familiar with, our needs related to technology. I thought, “Why not explain in detail about our technology needs.”
Deaf people are very sensitive to light, but how do they wake up using an alarm clock when they can’t hear?
Some have their own way of waking up, such as by leaving the curtains open to shine light through the windows to brighten up the room. Others use specialty alarm clocks, originally invented by William Shaw. Back before the alarm clock was invented, William Shaw, who was deaf since the age of 5 due to spinal meningitis, built special devices for the deaf community – telephones, doorbells, alarm clocks, burglar alarms, and more. Let’s dive deeper into the alarm clock
The alarm clock that was first invented was called the “sleeper’s pillow.”
I had my very first alarm clock when I was in 11th grade. It was a small device that I put inside my pillow cover, and it shook my pillow when I needed to wake up. Before I had it, my parents would wake me up by tapping me. At first, they would turn the light switch on and off, but they noticed how sensitive I was to the light. I was MAD!
A more common way deaf people use alarm clocks is that you can either have the option to set it on the light flasher or vibration setting to shake your bed. How does it shake your bed? The shaker is set underneath the mattress, and it shakes the bed. Even hearing people who are deep sleepers can use it.
Deaf people use alarm clocks just like people who can hear.
Instead of using sound, deaf people rely on their sense of sight and touch.
-By Kim Hansel