Published Dec 17, 2024

Uncover the Inventor at Your Clinic: IDEASforEARS 2025

Have you heard about the MED-EL IDEASforEARS contest? Each year, MED-EL offers children a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip to MED-EL Headquarters in Innsbruck, Austria. IDEASforEARS is a special contest for children ages 6-12 who like to invent, be creative, and help people with hearing loss. We challenge these young inventors to create life-changing solutions addressing real-life problems. From now until January 17, your patients could submit an invention, a clever idea, or an improvement to something that already exists for a chance to win!

No idea is too big or too small.

Last year, children from 24 countries stepped up to the challenge, submitting 253 ingenious ideas, demonstrating that the next generation is not only brimming with imagination but is also passionate about making the world more inclusive. From beanies, helmets, and pillows equipped with audio processors to wristbands and necklaces that enable emergency calls, this year’s entries reflect a diverse range of ideas aimed at improving daily life for those with hearing loss.

Moreover, these young inventors showed an increased commitment to sustainability. This year, many participants embraced eco-friendly solutions, incorporating solar power, wind energy, and kinetic energy into their designs, showing a keen interest in harnessing green technologies to power future hearing innovations.

Meet Our 2024 Winners

Abigail & Zoey, 12 & 10, USA

Abigail and Zoey introduced their Smart Watch, tailored to users with hearing implants. This innovative watch enables users to set wake-up alarms, get real-time battery notifications for their audio processors, and even stream music directly through the device for added convenience.

André, 10, Portugal

André presented the alarm for lost processors, a helpful feature that activates a beeping sound on the user’s hearing implant watch when the audio processor is more than one meter away. This alert system helps users quickly find their misplaced device.

Nataly, 10, Peru

Nataly came up with a silicone ear prosthesis that doubles as a hearing aid. This innovative prosthesis is specifically designed to assist children with Microtia, offering both aesthetic and functional benefits for improved hearing

Malika, 8, Indonesia

Malika has developed the “RONDO 3 Travel Charger,” an external power bank shaped like a small box and specifically designed to power audio processors. This innovation addresses the needs of travelers and campers by providing a convenient solution for on-the-go charging.

These are just some of the 14 winners of this year’s IDEASforEARS competition. Check out our other young participants and their ideas here.

Does your clinic have the next great inventor?

Share the IDEASforEARS contest details with your pediatric patients and maybe your clinic will be featured as an imagination destination! Download and display this poster in your clinic today.

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