UC3M INVESTIGATORS PROPOSE A BRACELET FOR PEOPLE WITH HEARING DISABILITY THROUGH THE CROWDFUNDING

The Crowd UC3M microfinance program launches "Help Your Senses," a project aimed at helping people with hearing difficulties by developing a vibrating wristband that alerts them to the everyday sounds of the home. 

• Help them achieve this 

The UC3M Science Park, coordinator of the # crowduc3m initiative, encourages participation in this R & D & i project through the Precipita collective microfinance platform, promoted by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECyT). Crowd UC3M is a new channel to foster the interaction of the UC3M community with society, involving citizens in the early stages of a research, development and innovation project. 

"Help your senses" is a project created by researchers and students of the University Carlos III of Madrid, with which they seek to solve the problems of hearing that seriously affect the communication capacity of people, whether due to age or By disability. In order to eliminate the isolation and frustration of this group and promote their integration and social inclusion, Help Your Senses aims to develop a bracelet for people with hearing impairment that allows them to receive daily information through vibration. 

In Spain, about 30% of the population suffers from hearing problems that make their quality of life and their communication capacity diminish day by day. According to forecasts, this situation will increase in the coming years as a result of the aging of the population. 

With the creation of this device, intuitive and easy to use even by elderly people, is intended to facilitate the life and integration of affected individuals and those who are in their environment. 

The main benefit lies with the hearing impaired and their relatives. However, the gain for society as a whole is perceptible, since the improved quality of life of those affected has a positive impact and responds to a European challenge for a more inclusive society. 

If they achieve the minimum goal of € 2,900 they will develop an initial prototype with the basic functionality and with the optimal objective (€ 7900) they will carry out the definitive prototype, which includes tests, improvements and confirmations. In addition, they will give a training grant to promote the knowledge of the new technologies and guarantee the continuity of the project and the awareness of the students. 

This project was published last May 16 and is the second that promotes the second call for CROWD UC3M, a program organized by the Carlos III University of Madrid for research, transfer, innovation and cooperation projects. Throughout the year 2017 will be published the rest of initiatives that participate in this edition.