New Delhi: When Rithwik Jayasimha, 24, discovered that Apple’s new AirPods Pro 2 included a hearing aid feature, he eagerly bought a pair for his grandmother. However, his excitement quickly turned to frustration when he realized the feature was blocked in India. Despite being approved in over 100 countries following clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September, the feature remains unavailable in India, a TOI report stated.
Determined to find a solution, Jayasimha teamed up with his friends, Arnav Bansal and Rithwik Ribhu, to unlock the feature. “When I tried to set it up, I realised the feature was blocked in India. I spent the rest of the day trying to figure out how to enable it, but I kept hitting a dead end,” said Jayasimha.
Creative Workaround Developed in Bengaluru Lab
The trio began their efforts at a small lab in Bengaluru’s Koramangala neighborhood, exploring ways to bypass the location restrictions. Recognizing that the AirPods detect location using Wi-Fi network data rather than GPS, they devised a method to spoof the device’s location.
Using basic materials such as aluminum foil, copper mesh, a microwave, and an ESP 32 chip, they built a Faraday Cage. This device, inspired by 19th-century scientist Michael Faraday, blocks electromagnetic fields. By leveraging a Wi-Fi location database, they managed to trick the AirPods into believing they were in San Francisco, successfully enabling the hearing aid feature.
Impact on Accessibility for the Elderly
The innovation brought significant relief to their families. “The old hearing aid my grandma had was very pricey and yet very clunky. She is a patient with Parkinson’s disease, and it was really difficult for her to operate it,” said Bansal. The AirPods provided advanced features such as customizable equalizer settings and conversation awareness, simplifying the process for their grandmothers.
Jayasimha added, “With these AirPods, I just sat there with equalizer settings and made the sound louder, softer, brighter. It’s also more intelligent and has a bunch of features you just won’t get in hearing aids.”
Growing Interest in the Solution
After sharing their project online, the team received a surge of interest from individuals facing similar challenges. They have assisted over 30 people in enabling the feature and are now considering expanding their informal lab, called ‘Lagrange Point.’
While Apple has not reached out to them, the group remains hopeful that the hearing aid feature will gain regulatory approval in India.
Future Plans
Beyond their current project, the trio continues to work on innovative solutions to address societal issues. These include developing water-cooled suits for delivery personnel during heatwaves and creating adaptive clothing for Parkinson’s patients. Their next focus is designing devices to detect microplastics in water and food, aiming to tackle broader environmental and health challenges.
By turning a roadblock into an opportunity, these young innovators have demonstrated how technology can bridge accessibility gaps and improve lives.