Alternative Lower Cost Hearing Aid Dec03-10 Client: Herb Harmison Advisor: Edwin Jones Jr. Team Members: Hassan Qureshi Hamdan Al-Mehrezi Trong Do Nathan Veen December 9, 2003

Presentation Outline Introductory materials: Introductory materials: Acknowledgement Acknowledgement Problem Statement Problem Statement Operating environment Operating environment Intended User(s) and Use(s) Intended User(s) and Use(s) Assumptions and limitations Assumptions and limitations End Product and other deliverables End Product and other deliverables

Presentation Outline (cont.) Project Activity Description Project Activity Description Present Accomplishments Present Accomplishments Future Activities Future Activities Approaches Considered and Used Approaches Considered and Used Project Definition Activities Project Definition Activities Research Activities Research Activities Design Activities Design Activities Implementation Activities Implementation Activities Testing and Modification Activities Testing and Modification Activities Other Significant Activities Other Significant Activities

Presentation Outline (cont.) Resources and Schedules Resources and Schedules Resource Requirement Resource Requirement Financial Requirement Financial Requirement Schedules Schedules Closing Materials Closing Materials Project Evaluation Project Evaluation Commercialization Commercialization Recommendations for Additional Work Recommendations for Additional Work Lessons Learned Lessons Learned Risk and Risk Management Risk and Risk Management Closing Summary Closing Summary

Acknowledgment Herb Harmison, the client for this senior design project, has contributed to this project though technical advice and general feedback Herb Harmison, the client for this senior design project, has contributed to this project though technical advice and general feedback Edwin Jones Jr., the faculty adviser for this senior design project, has provided technical advise, solutions, and direction Edwin Jones Jr., the faculty adviser for this senior design project, has provided technical advise, solutions, and direction

Problem Statement Develop a hearing aid device that is: Affordable Fashionable Effective in quality General solution approach: Determine general functionality of the ear Determine general components of hearing aid Incorporate circuit into a fashionable unit Test the device for acceptability

Operating Environment Perfect for inside use Could be sensitive to various outside noises Will work in dusty conditions, and in extreme cold and hot climates Should be kept safe from rain Throwing or dropping the equipment could affect its circuitry

Intended Users Men and women of any age People having noticeable hearing loss

Intended Uses Daily conversation inside or outside Watching movies at theater or television at home Listening to a message or speech

Assumptions Wired connections with the main unit Wired connections with the main unit Stereo sound Stereo sound Two microphones, two headphones, and two amplifiers Two microphones, two headphones, and two amplifiers Volume control for each side Volume control for each side No frequency control No frequency control

Limitations Main unit should be light in weight (5 oz app.) Compact size (5 x 2 x 1 inches app.) Fashionable and easy to wear Stereo output Low cost (Less then $200) Greater battery life

End Product & Deliverables Main unit which includes circuit, control and battery Headphones and microphones attached to the unit by wires User’s manual that will include product specifications, instructions and technical support information.

Present Accomplishments Problem Defined Problem Defined Researched ears and hearing Researched ears and hearing Researched three main approaches Researched three main approaches Build from scratch Build from scratch Pocketalker Pro from Williams Sound Pocketalker Pro from Williams Sound Two Cyber Ear Listening Devices Two Cyber Ear Listening Devices Purchased Cyber Ear Listening Devices Purchased Cyber Ear Listening Devices Tested parts Tested parts Constructed Circuit Constructed Circuit End product testing End product testing

Future Activities Frequency response control Frequency response control Easier access to batteries Easier access to batteries Combining microphones and headphones Combining microphones and headphones

Approaches Considered Build hearing aid device by buying each individual component and construct the circuit Build hearing aid device by buying each individual component and construct the circuit Purchase the Pocketalker Pro from Williams Sound Purchase the Pocketalker Pro from Williams Sound Purchase two Cyber Ear Listening Devices and construct a fashionable box Purchase two Cyber Ear Listening Devices and construct a fashionable box

Approach Used Cyber Ear Listening Devices Cyber Ear Listening Devices Cheaper Cheaper Good sound Good sound Size and weight limitations meet Size and weight limitations meet Allows fashionable design and reconstruction of the circuit Allows fashionable design and reconstruction of the circuit

Project Definition Use Cyber Ear Listening Devices as the main circuit for amplification Use Cyber Ear Listening Devices as the main circuit for amplification Rewire circuit to combine the devices for stereo sound through one power source Rewire circuit to combine the devices for stereo sound through one power source Insert circuit into a fashionable box Insert circuit into a fashionable box Develop a user manual Develop a user manual

Research Activities How hearing and hearing aids work How hearing and hearing aids work Stereo Sound

Research Activities (cont.) Build from scratch Build from scratch Amplifiers Amplifiers Headphones Headphones Microphones Microphones Box Box Power source Power source

Research Activities (cont.) Pocketalker Pro Pocketalker Pro

Research Activities (cont.) Cyber Ear Listening Devices Cyber Ear Listening Devices

Design Activities Original Circuit Original Circuit

Design Activities (cont.) New Circuit New Circuit

Implementation Activities Power source Power source One input (microphones) One input (microphones) One output (headphones) One output (headphones) Volume controls Volume controls

Testing Activities Testing of Cyber Ear Testing of Cyber Ear Amplification Amplification Scenarios Scenarios Stereo Stereo

Testing Activities (cont.)

Testing of the new circuit Testing of the new circuit Amplification Amplification Fashionable Design Fashionable Design Microphone placement Microphone placement

Other Significant Activities Received some parts from JABRA Corporation Received some parts from JABRA Corporation Tested the parts Tested the parts Concluded parts unacceptable Concluded parts unacceptable Quality Quality Comfort Comfort

Project Tasks Task 1Project Definition Task 2Technology Considerations Task 3End Product Design Task 4Prototype Implementation Task 5End-Product Testing Task 6End-Product Documentation Task 7End-Product Demonstration Task 8Project Reporting

Resources Requirements: Personnel effort Personnel effort

Financial Requirements ItemCost Printing of Project Poster$50.00 Cyber Ear (2)$40.00 Hearing aid case$2.69 Volume control (2)$5.98 Battery Holder$0.99 Soldering Lead$3.49 Carrying case with belt clip$9.99 Totals$113.14

Financial Requirements

Other Resources (Labor) Assuming labors cost $11.0/h QURESHI HASSAN JAVED $1, VEEN NATHAN CORY $1, DO TRONG HA $1, HAMDAN A K A AL-MEHREZI $1, Subtotal$4, Total cost (Labor & Parts)$5,063.14

First Semester Schedule

Second Semester Schedule

Project evaluation Milestone Milestone Project definition (fully met) Project definition (fully met) Technology considerations and selection (fully met) Technology considerations and selection (fully met) End-product design (partially met) End-product design (partially met) End-product testing (fully met) End-product testing (fully met) End-product documentation (fully met) End-product documentation (fully met) End-product demonstration (partially met) End-product demonstration (partially met) Project reporting (fully met) Project reporting (fully met)

Commercialization Cost to produce the product Cost to produce the product Labor and components bought Labor and components bought Street selling price Street selling price Hard to say, need to have an evaluation and more efficient design Hard to say, need to have an evaluation and more efficient design Around $170 Around $170 Potential market for the product Potential market for the product Any consumer with a considerable hearing loss looking for an affordable solution Any consumer with a considerable hearing loss looking for an affordable solution

Recommendations for Additional Work A commercialized version of the product A commercialized version of the product Compare the price and the quality with present design Compare the price and the quality with present design An enhanced prototype version of the product An enhanced prototype version of the product Increase the gain of the output from 50 dB to 140 dB Increase the gain of the output from 50 dB to 140 dB Stabilize the circuit by designing a new circuit board Stabilize the circuit by designing a new circuit board New case New case Add frequency response control Add frequency response control

Lessons Learned Meeting time, Communication between group Meeting time, Communication between group Discussion and process Discussion and process Gain the knowledge of the electronic circuit Gain the knowledge of the electronic circuit Know how to find the necessary components to fulfill the requirement Know how to find the necessary components to fulfill the requirement Need to spend more time to do research and discussion Need to spend more time to do research and discussion

Risk and Risk Management Need to know the level of hearing impair Need to know the level of hearing impair Read instruction to understand how the device works before using Read instruction to understand how the device works before using Loss of a team member Loss of a team member Defective device Defective device

Closing Summary Hearing aid and its importance Hearing aid and its importance Effective Effective Low cost Low cost Approach Approach Successful Successful Usable Usable