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There are millions of people out there who have serious problems with their hearing, but still, choose not to wear a hearing aid. Some of them refuse wearing one because of the social impact on their lives a hearing aid would have, others simply can’t afford one. The Olive Union, a team from Seoul, recently launched a project on Indiegogo that aims to solve this issue once and forever. They are working on delivering a next-gen hearing aid that both looks good, and works great. And all this for an affordable price. 
The Olive is a hearing aid that is small and is completely wireless. This way, many people would like to wear it. Unfortunately, people are quite rude and often make fun of others for wearing hearing aids. This affects children mostly, but there are adults also who choose to continue having hearing problems instead of wearing a device that could enhance their hearing. The Olive is small and resembles a wireless ear piece more than a traditional hearing aid. The team combined the hardware with a specific software that allows users to test their hearing and delivers the perfect sound for them.
The team also developed an app for smartphones that enables users to manage their hearing profile and adjust it to their environment. The project si based on existing technology, but the team managed to keep costs to a minimum. Instead of having to spend more than $4000 on a decent quality hearing aid, those who need this device can opt for the Olive which will cost somewhere around $100. That is basically affordable for everyone. Those who participate at the beta-testing of the device can get one for only $50.
The Seoul-based team plans on starting the optimization of the device as soon as the Indiegogo campaign ends, in December. The final prototype is expected to be developed as soon as February 2017, and Olive Union hopes to deliver the final product by the end of next year. Those who take part in the beta-testing will get the device as soon as July 2017.
