Feather Aid

Inspiration

Owls have some of the best hearing because of their unique face shapes which target noise towards the ears. By taking advantage of this we can help those with hearing loss find a cheaper alternative to hearing aids without reducing their noise filtering capabilities like electrical hearing aids do.

What it does

Uses a parabolic shape to target sound towards the ear, amplifying sound going into the ear.

How we built it

We built the Feather Aid in Autodesk Inventor and printed a rough prototype. The design is intended to be made using aluminum wire covered in silicone which is adjustable to each persons ear. We then use poly carbonate "feathers" with a smooth had surface to deflect sound into the ear, as well as a silicone backing to ensure not sound is lost. Finally we use memory foam where skin contact is make to ensure comfort for the user.

Challenges we ran into

-Ensuring the design could fit ears of all shapes and sizes without expensive custom sizing -Determining how to make the mechanism adjustable to modulate sound similar to how owls do, challenging due the designs small size -Finding ways to CAD something to organically fit the shape of the ear comfortably

Accomplishments that we're proud of

-How our final design come out (in respect to time limitations we faced competing in sumobots as well and general tiredness coming out of the sumobots competition and lack of sleep)

What we learned

-Material selection -Cost analysis -Modelling based on more organic shape

What's next for Feather Aid

Prototype a version with the correct materials and adjustments made after 3D printing to ensure the current design works are intends. Complete testing to measure current designs ability to amplify noise.

Built With

• inventor