Social Impact: Democratizing hearing health

Aurix is built exclusively for low-income communities—especially blue-collar workers and delivery riders in hazardous noise environments. We focus on safety, dignity, and access: a reliable multifunctional device at 500–800 RMB.

The gap is massive—and it’s economic

The universal barrier is price. High-end hearing aids exist, but are systematically inaccessible to low-income users. The result is low adoption and untreated hearing loss at enormous scale.

< 5%

China adoption rate

Hearing aid penetration in China remains below 5%—far behind developed nations.

67.2M

People affected (China)

Individuals with moderate-to-severe hearing impairment—yet most remain without devices.

401.4M

Need, globally

Among those who need hearing aids, ~83% do not use them—largely due to prohibitive pricing.

Why this is an equity issue

Untreated hearing loss increases risk, isolation, and long-term economic burden. When access depends on wealth, the working class gets left behind. Aurix is designed to break that barrier.

Impact, measured in daily life

🛡️

Personal-level safety

By restoring auditory clarity, Aurix reduces the risk of accidents associated with hearing loss—especially in industrial and traffic settings—while improving day-to-day communication.

🤝

Psychological dignity

Hearing loss often becomes isolation. Aurix helps break that cycle by restoring self-esteem, social connection, and the confidence to participate.

⚖️

Macro-level social justice

We expand access for the working class by shattering the high-price barrier. Higher adoption can reduce the long-term social and economic burden of untreated hearing loss.

🌍

A replicable model

Aurix bridges the gap between unaffordable medical devices and cheap consumer amplifiers—creating an accessibility-first model that can scale across communities.

How we remove the real barriers

The “Iron Triangle”: affordable, functional, practical

Aurix is priced at 500–800 RMB to democratize access for low-income workers. We focus on real-world function in high-noise environments and a practical user experience.

🔊
AI noise reduction
Tuned for speech + safety signals
🔁
Dual-mode
Hearing assist ↔ Bluetooth entertainment

No intimidating fitting. Reachable channels.

Traditional fitting processes are expensive, complex, and discouraging. Aurix simplifies acquisition so users can purchase through direct-to-consumer channels.

  • • Direct-to-consumer availability via online platforms
  • • Community clinics for trusted recommendations and access
  • • Worksite pilots to validate safety and usability
  • • Platform-agnostic listening (standard earphones supported)
💡
Price barrier

Cut cost with a wearable box-style architecture, enabling low-income access without sacrificing reliability.

🧭
Logistics barrier

Simple purchase and use—replacing intimidating professional workflows with a user-friendly model.

🕶️
Stigma barrier

A modern multifunction form factor that feels like smart audio—not a visible medical label.

Validation & rollout: prove → pilot → scale

1️⃣

Prototype milestones

A working prototype demonstrates stable Bluetooth, seamless mode switching, and basic noise cancellation.

2️⃣

Real-world pilots

Small-scale pilot tests with food delivery riders to refine durability, weatherproofing, and comfort during long shifts.

3️⃣

Partnership + certification

Community clinics and labor unions support B2B2C trust; medical device certification can unlock insurance payments and lower out-of-pocket costs.

Sustainable affordability

Our price window stays accessible because the cost structure is engineered for it—efficient hardware BOM and assembly, plus a scalable, volume-driven approach.

500–800
RMB retail price
~100
RMB hardware BOM
~20
RMB assembly labor
DTC
Lower access friction

Numbers shown are internal targets described in the project brief.