AWARD YEAR
2015
CATEGORY
Body
GOALS
Good Health & Well-being
KEYWORDS
hearing loss detection, Device , infant
COUNTRY
India
DESIGNED BY
Neeti Kailas, Sohum Innovation Lab
WEBSITE
http://www.sohumforall.com/hearing-screening/
The Sohum Device
Sohum Device is a highly proprietary, non-invasive, safe device to screen infants for hearing loss.
Every year, some 100,000 hearing-impaired babies are born in India, but there is no routine screening countrywide to detect the condition, and the existing tests are expensive and require skilled health-care workers.
Sohum provides early screening, that leads to timely treatment and rehabilitation, as well as savings in healthcare expenses to the system.
The Sohum hearing screening device works by measuring auditory brainstem response. Three electrodes are placed on the baby’s head to detect electrical responses generated by the brain’s auditory system when stimulated. If the brain does not respond to these aural stimuli, the child cannot hear. The device is battery-operated and non-invasive, which means babies do not need to be sedated, as some previous tests have required. Since the device is inexpensive and portable, it can be used anywhere.