When his grandmother began experiencing hearing loss, McMaster University student Arish Shahab started exploring how hearing support could become more affordable. Alongside two fellow students, he co-founded Amano Labs, developing a custom-fit, mechanically amplified hearing device priced at $19.99. The piece looks at the thinking behind the device, the barriers to conventional hearing care, and the questions that come with making low-cost hearing technology accessible to more people.
A hearing aid can cost thousands of dollars, which makes keeping up with a conversation an unexpectedly expensive affair. For families watching a grandparent struggle to hear the television, follow a conversation at dinner, or catch what someone has said from across the room, the price of hearing support can add another hurdle to an already difficult experience. Arish Shahab saw this problem close to home when his grandmother began experiencing hearing difficulties. At 21, the McMaster University student is now a co-founder of Amano Labs, a startup developing a custom-fit hearing device priced at 19.99 dollars, with the aim of bringing basic hearing support within reach of more people.
The idea has attracted attention for its almost absurd price difference. Amano's website cites a traditional hearing aid price of around 4,700 dollars for a pair, while its own pre-order price starts at 19.99 dollars. The figures belong to two very different approaches to hearing assistance, and understanding that distinction is key to understanding what the team is building.
Arish studies Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences at McMaster University in Canada, alongside co-founders Aaron Yu, who studies in the same programme, and Ramin Syed, a mechanical engineering student. The three began exploring affordable hearing support after seeing relatives experience hearing loss. Their academic work gave them a useful starting point: the human ear itself.
During an anatomy course, Arish and Aaron studied the ear's structure and function, prompting the team to explore how mechanical design could amplify sound. Traditional electronic hearing aids use microphones, processors and amplification systems to modify sound for the wearer. Amano's approach centres on mechanical acoustic amplification, removing the need for batteries, charging or a companion app.
The device is designed around the shape of the wearer's ear. According to Amano, users submit a photograph of their ear, which software maps to identify the measurements needed to produce a custom-fit device. The team then manufactures the device using 3D-printed components. Its aim is to simplify both production and the process of obtaining a hearing aid, with fitting managed remotely.
That approach has practical implications for people who face financial or geographical barriers to hearing care. A lower-cost device could make basic assistance more accessible to someone who cannot afford conventional hearing technology or reach a specialist easily. The design also addresses fit, an issue the founders encountered while speaking to people who had tried existing over-the-counter devices.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than 430 million people worldwide require rehabilitation for disabling hearing loss. By 2050, that number is projected to exceed 700 million. Hearing loss can affect communication, education, employment, and social participation, while access to diagnosis and rehabilitation remains uneven across regions.
Amano's approach speaks to a gap in that system: the distance between needing hearing support and being able to obtain it. The company says it has worked with more than 10 audiologists and tested its designs with over 50 patients, using feedback to refine its fittings. Its website also reports more than 1,300 pre-orders, an indication of demand for an affordable option.
There is an important qualification, though. Mechanical amplification has limitations compared with programmable electronic hearing aids, which can be adjusted to address different hearing profiles. Amano describes its device as intended for mild to moderate hearing loss, and its lower price should not be taken as evidence that it can replace every conventional hearing aid or suit every user. Hearing loss varies, and assessment by a qualified hearing-care professional remains important when deciding which intervention is appropriate.
The device is also still in the pre-order stage. Amano currently lists estimated delivery for the fourth quarter of 2026, so its eventual performance and accessibility at scale will need to be judged once products reach customers and undergo broader use.
Amano's appeal lies partly in the simplicity of the question behind it: what happens when an essential piece of health technology is priced beyond the reach of the people who need it? Shahab and his co-founders have approached that question through engineering, drawing on their university training to explore a product that could be easier to manufacture and distribute.
The 20 dollar price tag makes for an irresistible headline, although affordability is only one part of the equation. A useful hearing device also needs to fit well, provide appropriate amplification, meet relevant safety requirements, and reach people who can benefit from it. The founders will have to demonstrate that their approach can meet those needs as they move from prototypes and pre-orders towards wider distribution.
For now, Amano offers a compelling example of students applying their technical education to a problem that has affected their own families. Shahab's grandmother helped bring the issue into focus; the work that followed has grown into an effort to make hearing support available to a much wider group of people. For this enterprising trio, the next chapter will depend on how well the device performs outside the prototype stage, and whether its low price can translate into reliable, accessible hearing care for the people it hopes to serve.
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