---
title: "The Incredibly Affordable Solar-Powered Hearing Aid"
description: "Over 200 million hearing impaired people live in Africa. At 1/10th the price of a regular hearing aid, the Solar-Powered Hearing aid has become completely accessible to rural areas across Africa."
date: "2014-11-22"
modified: "2014-11-22"
authors:
  - name: "Aarya Venkat"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/aaryavenkat"
url: "https://futurism.com/incredibly-affordable-solar-powered-hearing-aid"
categories:
  - "Energy"
  - "Renewable Energy"
  - "Science & Energy"
  - "Solar Power"
---

# The Incredibly Affordable Solar-Powered Hearing Aid

![Default Futurism featured image](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Futurism-Filler-Image.jpg>)

- The fundamental problem with regular hearing aids is not only are they expensive, they require constant purchase of new batteries, becoming a barrier for the poor.
- Deaftronics, the company who makes Solar Ear, offers a significantly lower priced hearing aid with a solar-powered battery charger that lasts two to three years.
- Through organizations like Mercy Corps, the Solar Ear is being sold in 40 different African countries and plans are in motion for distribution worldwide.

## Author
I am an actor, a writer, and a passionate traveler. I've been to 20 countries, and over 30 states in the USA. You may know me from the movie, Life of Pi.