UI lecturers unveil innovation to improve access to hearing aids in Nigeria

Three lecturers from the University of Ibadan (UI) in Oyo state have developed a technology aimed at improving hearing aid.

In a statement, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) said the innovation was supported by its Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR) programme.

The auditory-aid tech, named ‘Chord Hearing Device’, was developed by a team of UI lecturers led by Adebolajo Adeyemo.

Other members of the team are Bolanle Oladejo and Oluwasola Adeniyi.

TETFund added that the initiative would help improve access to affordable hearing aids in Nigeria.

The organisation also said the device will be presented at TETFAIR’s final showcase event at Innov8 Hub in Abuja alongside other projects.

“Innovative products developed under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR) programme have started getting global attention as the ‘Chord Hearing Device’ developed by a team under the TETFAIR initiative recently got opportunity for exhibition at the prestigious Sheba ARC (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) Global Entrepreneurship Programme,” the statement reads.

“The Chord Hearing Device is an innovative, affordable, and self-programmable hearing aid developed by Dr. Adebolajo Adeyemo and his team (Team 12) comprising Associate Professor Bolanle Oladejo and Dr. Oluwasola Adeniji), all from the University of Ibadan.

“The team was selected to participate in TETFAIR based on its idea for a solution to the challenge of affordable and accessible hearing aid devices in Nigeria. Since the inception of TETFAIR, with the support of innovation, technology and venture creation experts, the team has made significant progress with the completion of the development of the first prototype, which is now being tested with users, as part of the proof-of-concept phase of TETFAIR.

“Dr. Adeyemo represented the team at the ARC Programme, where for 12 weeks, 29 startups from Israel, USA, Germany, Japan, Colombia, Nigeria, South Africa and Australia worked on finding solutions to pressing healthcare challenges.

“Based on the viability of his idea and good impression, Dr. Adeyemo was selected among 11 healthcare researchers from five continents to present their innovation to investors and experts at the final event of the Sheba ARC Global Entrepreneurship programme, held in Israel.

“Eventually, his innovation and pitch led him to also being selected among the 3 startups that presented their innovations at the ARC Global Summit in Tel Aviv on  June 14, 2023.

“The TETFAIR journey of Dr. Adeyemo and his team is still ongoing and in the coming months, based on feedback from the user tests, the prototype will be refined and the product development will continue with the support of TETFAIR experts at Innov8 Hub, Abuja.”