In our ideas4ears children’s invention contest we asked the next generation of inventors to use their creativity to come up with solutions for people living with hearing loss. The contest is organized by MED-EL (Global innovation leader in hearing loss solutions).
Overall, 341 children worldwide participated from 19 different countries and from these entries the top 9 invention ideas were chosen.
Leon (9) flew from Padbury, Western Australia with his mother to MED-EL. His imaginative invention idea came from personal experience, “My special feature is a Wakey Wakey function which is a vibrating, flashing alarm to wake you up, but it also has a setting that turns your cochlear volume up slowly over 5 minutes, so I wouldn’t get sound shock when you put them on after a long time without sound.”
ideas4ears, which searches for the next generation of inventors of hearing technology, grand prize included a two-day winners’ trip to Innsbruck, Austria to provide the children and their families with the unique opportunity to tour the production facility and meet MED-EL’s many inventors.
Impressions from the trip of a lifetime!
Leon with his “wakey wakey” watch ideas4ears invention
Leon with Dr. Ingeborg Hochmair, MED EL Founder and the manufacturing staff who made his cochlear implants.
Making discoveries at the Audioversum Science Center in Innsbruck, Austria
Leon having fun with Geoffrey Ball Head ideas4ears Judge and inventor of the VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE Middle Ear Implant.
Innovation – the basis for cochlear implant progress
Innovation is essential when exploring ways to improve the lives of those with hearing loss and the ideas4ears competition has raised awareness of the benefits of hearing technology.
Whilst celebrating children’s creativity, ideas4ears aimed to engage parents to participate in an interactive activity with their children to improve the whole family’s understanding of the challenges associated with hearing loss and deafness as well as the benefits of treatment.
If you are worried about the hearing loss of a family member or for your own hearing loss, take the free hearing test here or contact ideas4ears@medel.com to receive a free information package on hearing and the solutions available.
Alternatively, you can contact your local MED-EL clinic to speak with our caring staff who can advise you about the hearing services available in your area.
For more information on the contest, visit: www.ideas4ears.org/meet-the-inventors/ and www.facebook.com/ideas4ears.
All images ©2019 MED-EL. Please contact ideas4ears@medel.com for permission to use.
