This research lead me to question whether the project falls under the category of assistive technology. I believe that the project is about creating a device that helps people to communicate (by allowing them to understand what other people are saying) and therefore should definitely be listed as an assistive device or a piece of assistive technology.
It was interesting to discover what systems are already available and how hearing loss seems to be the main focus. There are devices which make up part of hearing loop systems which connect with hearing aids in order to transmit sound through an electromagnetic energy, there are FM systems which use radio signals to transmit amplified sounds, infrared systems that use infrared light to transmit sound and personal amplifiers which increase sound levels and decrease background noise. Although all of these devices are useful and each have their own advantages, none of the devices are anything like the project that I am proposing. I strongly believe that there is a gap in the market for a product like this.