Empowering the Hearing-Impaired Through the Sun

People like Howard Weinstein, who turn personal tragedy into triumphant accomplishments, inspire me. The Ashoka-Lemelson fellow and 2009 Tech Award laureate was a successful Canadian business executive until his 10-year-old daughter suddenly died from an aneurysm.

His world crumbled, and he eventually found himself unemployed and virtually bankrupt. Nothing seemed to make sense and few things mattered — until he found an opportunity to help create an affordable hearing device for partially deaf individuals at Camp Hill Community Trust, a village for disabled people in Botswana.

Close to 600 million people worldwide are hearing-impaired and a staggering 80% live in developing countries. Surprisingly, only 8 million hearing aids are manufactured annually — selling for an average retail cost of $750US per device — with most people require two hearing aids. Add to that the zinc batteries that power them, with weekly replacement costs of $1US per battery, and you have a prohibitive challenge in providing the ability to hear to those most in need.

Using his business prowess, Howard worked with electronics manufacturers and financiers to create an analogue hearing aid that was powered by rechargeable solar batteries — the Solar Ear. It looks like any ordinary hearing aid, but costs less than $100US. The batteries still cost about $1 each, but last up to three years because of a built-in battery charger that can either be plugged into an electrical outlet or better yet, powered by the sun through a small solar panel.

Just as impressive as the sustainable technology is the fact that deaf individuals assemble the intricate parts of the Solar Ear, empowering them to become productive members of society. And perhaps the best attribute of Howard’s invention: He gives it away. Qualifying non-profits are licensed to build the Solar Ear free of charge.

The Solar Ear is currently sold in 31 countries, and profits from the sales are used to fund social programs for the deaf. Plans are underway to expand global distribution hubs and Howard hopes to employee approximately 1,000 deaf individuals within the next five years. He is also currently working with researchers at the University of Sao Paulo on a second-generation digital version of the Solar Ear.

Presented by Applied Materials, the Tech Awards recognize innovative uses of technology to benefit humanity. For the past eight years, the Tech Awards have annually honored innovators’ technology ideas and talents.