Storm Shield (USA) | Wearable solution that protects hearing aids during exercise

Hard-of-hearing athletes regularly participate in sports, but there is one nagging issue that is generally not considered by most people: the fact that hearing aids can be affected by sweat and impact throughout the course of competition. Apart from being a distraction during sporting activities, this poses the problem of damage to hearing aids themselves. Obviously, people who make use of hearing aids have a harder time hearing when they are damaged, but the other serious issue that may occur if hearing aids are damaged while a user is playing sports is the expensive nature of replacing them. In the United States, the average cost of hearing aids is between $1000 and $4000.

As a hard-of-hearing athlete herself, Danielle Yang of Bloomington, Indiana had direct experience with this problem and wanted to do something about it. Along with her teammates Sara Carmona, Isha Harbaugh, Koel Harbaugh, Audrey Adams, Nikki Beshkar, and Emily Wang, she formed the team behind Storm Shield, a headband linked to a Bluetooth-supported app that warms users of potentially dangerous motion outside of the field of vision to protect both the user and their hearing aids. As a result, the team has been named Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Ambassadors.

A Visionary Idea With a Learning Curve

The idea came pretty easily to Daniell, Sara, Isha, Koel, Audrey, Nikki, and Emily, but making it a reality proved to be a little more difficult. When they began the project, they were all still in high school, so they had a lot to learn technically, collaboratively, and creatively. While working on the prototype, they broke two sewing machines, spent hours learning how to use 3D-modeling software, and broke countless circuit boards while attempting to solder them in their high-school’s stained glass classroom. The struggles did not deter them, however, and led to a stronger bond that ended up building their skills and resulted in the Storm Shield of today.

The Storm Shield headband features three key elements that work together to provide comprehensive protection to the wearer: ear shields, a motion detection system, and a Bluetooth-connected app. The first layer of protection is the ear shields, which, because of their Gore-Tex covering, allow sweat to escape while preventing moisture from entering. The team’s design of the ear shields protects hearing aids from all types of damage, including from sweat, rain, and collisions.

From there, the solution’s design gets smarter, as the motion detection system registers speed and distance, then flags potentially dangerous motion in areas they cannot see or hear, such as behind them. If the system decides a registered motion is dangerous, provides the user with a light vibration on the headband, so they can adjust accordingly. The system continuously improves, as well, thanks to the Bluetooth-connected app, which allows for continuous monitoring and customization. With it, the user can modify the sensitivity of the system based on their environment and level of activity, customizing the system to the sport they play.

Continued Technical Mentorship

Like many young innovators, the Storm Shield team had a clear vision for their project and where they wanted to end up taking it, but they were not quite able to conceptualize how to manifest their goals for the project. That is where Solve for Tomorrow came in. Through the program, the team received mentorship, financial resources, and the platform to begin developing their solution and sharing their story. This support has extended beyond the competition, as well, with Samsung continuing to offer the team technical mentorship that allows them to continue to improve Storm Shield.

Inspiration Can Come From Anyone

Looking forward, the Storm Shield team hopes their project can empower people who are deaf or hard of hearing to live their lives to the fullest. They believe everyone deserves to be able to live an active lifestyle and feel that Storm Shield can be adopted to help a largely overlooked community all over the world.

To make this a reality, the team will prioritize refinement and responsible growth. They will solicit feedback from athletes who use hearing aids in upcoming tests, and they are also looking into the legal and business considerations involved in bringing Storm Shield to market. Doing so will put Storm Shield on the path to development and scalability.

The Storm Shield team believes that teenagers are capable of enacting change, no matter their background. “Anyone can be an innovator,” the team says. “Especially in science and technology, there’s often a stereotype about who is capable of changing the world but we’re here to challenge that, and we invite you to do the same. Starting is half the battle.”

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Ambassadors will be officially appointed at a ceremony held in Milan on Feb. 10-11, in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Find out more about Solve for Tomorrow at [link].