Media Release

Udupi, Jul 25: Students of the department of electronics and communication engineering at Shri Madhwa Vadiraja Institute of Technology and Management (SMVITM), Bantakal, have brought laurels to the institution by winning the "Best Project of the Year" award during the Poster Presentation and Exhibition at the 48th Series of Student Project Programme (SPP) organized by the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST), held at BGS Institute of Technology, B G Nagara, Mandya, on July 17 and 18.

The award-winning project, titled "Hear Fusion", is a smart, low-cost, real-time DSP-based hearing aid prototype designed to improve speech clarity and reduce background noise for individuals with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing impairment continues to pose a significant challenge to effective communication, and conventional hearing aids often amplify all sounds equally, making speech difficult to understand in noisy environments.

The Hear Fusion prototype employs digital signal processing (DSP) techniques to enhance speech while suppressing unwanted background noise, delivering clear audio with minimal delay. The system provides a cost-effective alternative to expensive commercial hearing aids, making advanced hearing assistance technology more affordable and accessible to a wider section of society.

The project was developed by final-year students Poornitha, Ananya Acharya, Deepthi, and Jathan Shraddha Vasantha under the guidance of Pavithra Poornima S and Raghunatha. The project was sponsored by the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST) under its Student Project Programme (SPP).

The management, principal, head of the department, faculty members, and students of SMVITM congratulated the student team and their guides on this prestigious achievement and wished them continued success in their future research and innovation endeavors.