Task 1
Estimated Cost Analysis
Estimated Cost Analysis
- Cost of Hearing Aid:
- Final average cost of hearing aid - $2,500
- Cost of Thermal Electric Patch:
- Size (WxLxH): 40mm x 40mm x 2mm = $26.99
- Final Price Average - $30 considering the size shrink and complications of configuring it into the hearing aid
- Cost of Hearing Aid Batteries per Year per Size:
- Size 10: average of $150/year
- Size 312: average of $80/year
- Size 13: average of $50/year
- Size 675: average of $30/year
- Final average cost of all batteries per year = $77.5
Adding a thermal electric patch to hearing aids would, over a five-year period, decrease the overall cost of the hearing aids. But, over a ten-year period, the overall cost of the hearing aids would decrease significantly.
With Thermal Electric Patch
Year 1 = $2607.50 (Hearing aid, thermal electric patch, one year worth of batteries)
Year 2 = $0
Year 3 = $0
Year 4 = $0
Year 5 = $0
Year 6 = $0
Year 7 = $0
Year 8 = $0
Year 9 = $0
Year 10 = $0
Total = $2607.50 (Total over 10 years)
Without Thermal Electric Patch
Year 1 = $2,577.50 (Hearing aid, one year worth of batteries)
Year 2 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 3 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 4 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 5 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 6 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 7 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 8 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 9 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 10 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Total = $3,275 (Total over 10 years)
Over a ten-year period, with the thermal electric patch, the overall cost of the hearing aid would be $2607.50 and, without the thermal electric patch, the overall cost of the hearing aid would be $3,275.
To well produce and market our product, we hope to connect with any hearing aid manufacturing companies that are present in our world today. If our thermal powered hearing aids were to be produced and used, they would somewhat decrease the concern in hearing aid battery loss and cost.
With Thermal Electric Patch
Year 1 = $2607.50 (Hearing aid, thermal electric patch, one year worth of batteries)
Year 2 = $0
Year 3 = $0
Year 4 = $0
Year 5 = $0
Year 6 = $0
Year 7 = $0
Year 8 = $0
Year 9 = $0
Year 10 = $0
Total = $2607.50 (Total over 10 years)
Without Thermal Electric Patch
Year 1 = $2,577.50 (Hearing aid, one year worth of batteries)
Year 2 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 3 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 4 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 5 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 6 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 7 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 8 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 9 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Year 10 = $77.50 (One year worth of batteries)
Total = $3,275 (Total over 10 years)
Over a ten-year period, with the thermal electric patch, the overall cost of the hearing aid would be $2607.50 and, without the thermal electric patch, the overall cost of the hearing aid would be $3,275.
To well produce and market our product, we hope to connect with any hearing aid manufacturing companies that are present in our world today. If our thermal powered hearing aids were to be produced and used, they would somewhat decrease the concern in hearing aid battery loss and cost.
Task 2
University of New Hampshire: Setem Technologies will be using Math Professor's Research to Improve Hearing Aids
URL: https://www.unh.edu/research/blog/2012/08/setem-technologies-will-use-unh-math-professors-research-improve-hearing-aids
Department of Engineering
University of New Hampshire is using the research of mathematics professor Kevin Short to develop signal separation technology that addresses the “cocktail party problem”. The “cocktail party problem is the ability to focus on a specific speech source and eliminate any extraneous background noise. They are trying to distinguish different voices so the hearing air can provide voice clarity.
University of Texas Dallas: Scientists Target Smartphone Technology to Improve Hearing Devices
URL:http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2015/2/6-31403_Scientists-Target-Smartphone-Technology-to-Improve_story-wide.html
Department of Electrical Engineering
Researchers at UT Dallas are using smartphones to improve the quality of life for people using hearing aids. They are working on using the smartphones powerful processors and other features such as large memories, microphones, speakers, wireless technology and long-lasting batteries to better the hearing aid qualities. They are planning on reducing background noise and enhancing both quality and intelligibility of speech signals in noisy environments and crowded places.
University of New Hampshire: Setem Technologies will be using Math Professor's Research to Improve Hearing Aids
URL: https://www.unh.edu/research/blog/2012/08/setem-technologies-will-use-unh-math-professors-research-improve-hearing-aids
Department of Engineering
University of New Hampshire is using the research of mathematics professor Kevin Short to develop signal separation technology that addresses the “cocktail party problem”. The “cocktail party problem is the ability to focus on a specific speech source and eliminate any extraneous background noise. They are trying to distinguish different voices so the hearing air can provide voice clarity.
University of Texas Dallas: Scientists Target Smartphone Technology to Improve Hearing Devices
URL:http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2015/2/6-31403_Scientists-Target-Smartphone-Technology-to-Improve_story-wide.html
Department of Electrical Engineering
Researchers at UT Dallas are using smartphones to improve the quality of life for people using hearing aids. They are working on using the smartphones powerful processors and other features such as large memories, microphones, speakers, wireless technology and long-lasting batteries to better the hearing aid qualities. They are planning on reducing background noise and enhancing both quality and intelligibility of speech signals in noisy environments and crowded places.
Task 3
Thermoelectrical Engineering
With the adverse effects of global warming and quick depletion of finite resources, it is time to look at renewable resources as the future of energy production. Heat is a byproduct of many reactions (including non-nuclear reactions) which could have a useful application for small electric devices. A college program can be implemented to train individuals on innovative ways and foster further innovations to harness heat as an energy source to store in batteries. Beginning with small electric devices and human body heat, this program could strive for improving the current grid with implementation of thermoelectric technology.
Thermoelectrical Engineering
With the adverse effects of global warming and quick depletion of finite resources, it is time to look at renewable resources as the future of energy production. Heat is a byproduct of many reactions (including non-nuclear reactions) which could have a useful application for small electric devices. A college program can be implemented to train individuals on innovative ways and foster further innovations to harness heat as an energy source to store in batteries. Beginning with small electric devices and human body heat, this program could strive for improving the current grid with implementation of thermoelectric technology.