SMVITM Student Develops Affordable AI-Enabled Hearing Aid

The Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering at Shri Madhwa Vadiraja Institute of Technology and Management (SMVITM), Bantakal, has successfully developed “Hear Fusion,” a smart, low-cost, real-time hearing aid prototype aimed at enhancing speech clarity and reducing background noise for individuals with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss.

Hearing impairment can significantly impact communication and overall quality of life. Conventional hearing aids often amplify all sounds equally, making it challenging for users to distinguish speech in noisy surroundings. To address this issue, the student team developed Hear Fusion, which focuses on improving speech intelligibility while effectively minimizing unwanted ambient noise.

The project was sponsored by the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST) and was developed by final-year Electronics and Communication Engineering students Ms. Poornitha, Ms. Ananya Acharya, Ms. Jathan Shraddha Vasantha, and Ms. Deepthi under the guidance of Ms. Pavithra Poornima S and Mr. Raghunatha, faculty members of SMVITM.

The prototype processes audio signals in real time with minimal latency, enabling clearer and more natural conversations for users. Designed as a cost-effective alternative to expensive commercial hearing aids, Hear Fusion seeks to make advanced hearing-assistance technology more accessible and affordable for a wider section of society.

The Management, Principal, Head of the Department, and faculty members of SMVITM congratulated the student team and their guides on this achievement and wished them continued success in their future academic and professional endeavors.