Media Release

Udupi, Jun 4: The department of electronics and communication engineering at Shri Madhwa Vadiraja Institute of Technology and Management (SMVITM), Bantakal, has developed “Hear Fusion,” a smart, low-cost, real-time hearing aid prototype designed to improve speech clarity and reduce background noise for individuals with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss.

Hearing impairment often affects effective communication and quality of life. Conventional hearing aids generally amplify all sounds uniformly, making it difficult for users to distinguish speech in noisy environments. Addressing this challenge, the SMVITM team developed hear fusion to enhance speech intelligibility while minimizing unwanted background noise.

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

The prototype processes sound in real time with minimal delay, enabling clearer and more natural conversations. Designed as a cost-effective alternative to expensive commercial hearing aids, Hear Fusion aims to make advanced hearing-assistance technology accessible to 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 endeavours.