Typically in the audiological industry, the buttons or wheel to change the volume and programs for the hearing aide are located on the hearing instrument. These are very tiny controls on a small device located behind your ear. Hearing aide users average age is usually around 70, and they may be experiencing mobility, dexterity and possibly vision vision problems. In the common hearing aide design the user has to memorize the number of beeps for each of the programs and not receive any visual cues, thus making any adjustments can be very frustrating, especially when the user is usually in loud and distracting environments.

A small, additional device that can be easily carried with you was a visde solution to this problem, and we have started exploring the possibility of a keyfob.

The initial concept was to incorporate a keyhole on top of the remote control, so the user can attach it to his/hers set of keys. But with the added bulkiness that it might pose to the user, the remote was slimmed down and integrated with a keyring as shown on the following concept sketches.

A screw-on cylindrical lock on the key ring was initially to be used. As the design progressed, a squared shape key ring consisting of a spring loaded hinge was incorporated, allowing for an easier placement and removal of keys and a more minimal aesthetic.

3D renderings were created, and after few additional adjustments, the final concept of the hearing instrument remote control designed with portability in mind has been developed. With familiar shape and integration of a key ring, it allows the users to place their existing keys directly onto the remote, therefore minimizing the extra bulk normally found in other key fobs. This low maintenance design available in many colors and textures, incorporates basic functions with volume control and program switch control, while utilizing LEDs as visual feedback to indicate the corresponding audio program number embedded onto the users' hearing instruments.