Today’s hearing aids are more advanced than ever before. In addition to their primary function of selectively amplifying specific frequencies to improve speech intelligibility, modern devices increasingly suppress unwanted background noise and enable phone calls and music streaming via Bluetooth connectivity with smartphones.

Despite these advancements, hearing aids still require a trade-off between wearing comfort and acoustic performance. Soft, open-fit domes reduce the occlusion effect and improve wearing comfort and perceived sound naturalness. However, they allow low-frequency sound leakage, which negatively affects bass response during music streaming and reduces speech intelligibility in noisy environments. In contrast, closed systems enhance low-frequency amplification and noise control, but often cause discomfort due to occlusion.

The only commercialised product currently addressing this challenge is the Phonak ActiveVent, which automatically switches between open and closed vent states based on environmental sound analysis. Despite its innovative approach, the electronic miniature components required for the automated mechanism reduce cost-effectiveness and durability, while limiting user control. This graduation project addresses these limitations through the development of a more robust, user-friendly, manual open/closed venting mechanism for Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) hearing aids.

Through desk research, user interviews, iterative prototyping and testing, an innovative manual alternative was developed. Fugai, the final proposed concept, is a RIC hearing aid featuring a manual adaptive venting mechanism that allows users to actively control their listening experience across different acoustic environments. By integrating a manual mechanism rather than an automated one, the design enhances robustness and durability while improving cost efficiency. Providing direct user control further increases perceived reliability and usability.

As a result, Fugai presents an innovative RIC solution that balances user autonomy, ease of use, robustness and cost-effectiveness, without compromising acoustic performance.