Solar Powered Hearing Aids for Unreached Peoples

The world's established hearing aid industry produces hearing aids that are NOT suitable for most of the world's more than 250 million hearing impaired people. These hearing aids require a continual supply of disposable batteries, which are seldom available or affordable to poor people. Beyond batteries, conventional aids are not built for rugged service. In remote Asian, African and Latin American villages the lifetime of ordinary hearing aids is measured in months.

ComCare offers a solution, the Model GLW hearing aid. It is solar rechargeable. The user places the hearing aid in sunlight, about an hour every day. However, if the battery is kept near full charge, the GLW hearing aid can operate for at least a week without recharging. This allows for periods of cloudy weather, travel, etc.

Equally important is the rugged construction of the GLW. It has an extremely strong case that seals the internal parts from dirt and moisture. Instead of an unreliable conventional volume control, the GLW uses a rotary switch that clicks to one of five precise, repeatable volume settings. The body-worn size permits the use of electronic components that are larger, more reliable and less expensive. (Detailed info on the Model GLW hearing aid).

The ComCare solar powered aid is lifting the burden of hearing loss for unreached people in the developing world!