A $20 Alternative to Expensive Hearing Aids

Hearing loss affects 2.5 billion people worldwide, but hearing aids are expensive and can range from $1,000 to $8,000 per pair, making them inaccessible for many. Maryland-based start-up Quantum Senses is trying to solve that problem with its Earcoustic hearing aid, which retails for just $20.

Justin Lee, the company’s founder and CEO, cautioned that the product is aimed at people with mild hearing loss where advanced electronics would be considered overkill. "Quantum Senses isn't looking to replace medical-grade hearing aids, but provide an affordable option for those with mild hearing loss who need some assistance," Lee told Decrypt.

He added: "The more people learn about acoustic hearing aids, the more they’ll see the value in affordable alternatives, especially for those with mild hearing loss.”

Lee, who previously worked as an aerospace engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense, designed the Earcoustic to direct sound waves into the user's ears using its sound support cups. The cups amplify sound that comes in the wearer’s direction while minimizing background noise, making them ideal for watching TV or attending events.

After working on projects for the U.S. Air Force and Navy, Lee, a graduate of Tuskegee University, founded Quantum Senses in 2021.

The idea for the Earcoustic, he said, came as a means of offering a solution for a friend who was suffering from mild symptoms of hearing loss. The friend was living on a fixed income and didn't have a solution to improve his hearing ability.

Lee said he used a computer to engineer the acoustics of the device, which is not electronic or powered in any way. Since it's made entirely from recycled materials, it can be recycled again if the user no longer needs it. “If it breaks, you can simply recycle it, and it can be converted into something like a water bottle,” he said.

There are other cost-effective hearing aid alternatives coming to market, including a new feature added to Apple's AirPods Pro 2 earbuds at $249. But for $20, the Earcoustic is on a completely different level of affordability, making it accessible for people who wouldn't think they could ever afford a hearing aid.

“You have got to make time for the things that are important,” he said. “This is really becoming a passion for me, and it's something that's going to help create generational wealth for my family.”

Edited by Andrew Hayward