Most hearing aids are priced between $100 and $800. But in India, the world`s second most populated country, the income per capita is around $600 a year. For many people there, airing aids are simply unaffordable. That was the problem.

大多数助听器价位在100美元至800美元。但是，印度，作为世界人口第二大国，其年人均收仅为600美元。对于大多数人来说，助听器是遥不可及的。而这就是问题的根源。

A student in the U.S. came up with a solution. It`s a small device that could fit in someone`s pocket. It works with headphones and it both tests a person`s hearing and then becomes a hearing aid.

一位美国学生提出了解决办法。这个小装置可以放到口袋里，与耳机一起，可以用于测试人的听力，并可以作为助听器使用。

For two years, Mukund Venkatakrishnan spent hours fiddling with frequencies and tinkering with tones. And two years is a long time, especially –

两年来，Mukund Venkatakrishnan一直在研究频率，修复音调。两年是个漫长的时间，特别对于——

Because I`m only 16, like two years is a long time for me to spend on something.

因为我才只有16岁，两年让我研究一些事物，时间真的很长。

This 16-year-old created this device, a hearing test and aid.

这个16岁的孩子发明的这个设备，既可以检测听力，也可以用作助听器。

It eliminates a need for a doctor altogether.

这个设备完全可以替代医生。

First, the tests, different sounds at different frequencies.

首先，不同的频率可以听到不同的声音

You plug in head phones on the normal headphone jack right there. You hear the sound, you click the green button. If you don`t hear the sound, you click the button. And after the hearing test is completed, the device program will start to be a hearing aid.

将耳机插入手机插孔。如果能听到声音，就按绿色按钮;如果听不到声音，就按这个按钮。在进行完听力测试后，这个设备就是一个助听器了。

A double duty device, something even he wasn`t sure that he could create.

他自己甚至不敢相信自己发明了一个双重功能的设备。

I`m just surprised it turned out OK, right, because you never -- it`s hard to like see something like this working, like I wanted to quite a lot of times in the middle.

当设备成功的时候，我感到的只是惊讶——很能想象它竟然可以工作，中间有很多次我差点就要放弃了。

But besides his incredible persistence, there`s a big reason why he didn`t quit.

除了他坚忍不拔的毅力之外，还有一个他没有放弃发明的重大原因/

Summer after my freshman year, I went to India and I stayed with my grandparents. And my grandfather has had hearing loss for a little while.

在我高一暑假的时候，我去了印度和我的爷爷奶奶住在一起。我的爷爷不久前听力受损。

And it became Mukund`s job to help get him to a doctor for a hearing aid. And the experience was less than ideal.

Mukund的工作就是找医生购买助听器，可是助听器的价格太昂贵了。

And the process took forever to find an audiologist. Then, once we got there, they ripped us off. And so, I kind of looked into the problem more and that`s kind of where I got into the idea.

找听力学家就更不可能了。我们只有被敲诈的份儿。所以，我就开始研究这个问题，可能灵感就是这么来的。

So, when he got home from India, he went to work.

从印度回来之后，Mukund就开始研究了。

I started online. I looked up how to program online and I taught myself how to program.

我开始上网，查询程序如何运行，同时开始自学。

And how to build a device at a price that more people can afford.

以及如何可以发明一个更多人可以买的起的设备。

Yes, 60 bucks is what it is right now, and it`s crazy that they cost $1,500 each when you can do it for 60 bucks.

这个设备只需要60美元。花1500美元来买60美元的东西，简疯了。

Two years working on the project and he still plans on making improvements.

这个设备Mukund花费了两年的时间，同时他还计划对设备做出改善。

But then when you finally, I should get that solution, it`s like the best feeling in the world, to finally break through and get that moment of ha-ha, like eureka. I love that feeling and it`s kind of what kept me going -- that and my grandfather.

当你终于找到了解决的办法，这是世界上最美妙的感觉，终于突破障碍感受到了“有了!”那个成功的瞬间。我喜欢那种感觉，是我的爷爷一直在激励我前进。

Most hearing aids are priced between $100 and $800. But in India, the world`s second most populated country, the income per capita is around $600 a year. For many people there, airing aids are simply unaffordable. That was the problem.

A student in the U.S. came up with a solution. It`s a small device that could fit in someone`s pocket. It works with headphones and it both tests a person`s hearing and then becomes a hearing aid.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REPORTER: For two years, Mukund Venkatakrishnan spent hours fiddling with frequencies and tinkering with tones. And two years is a long time, especially --

MUKUND VENTAKRISHNAN, DUPONT MANUAL STUDENT: Because I`m only 16, like two years is a long time for me to spend on something.

REPORTER: This 16-year-old created this device, a hearing test and aid.

VENTAKRISHNAN: It eliminates a need for a doctor altogether.

REPORTER: First, the tests, different sounds at different frequencies.

VENTAKRISHNAN: You plug in head phones on the normal headphone jack right there. You hear the sound, you click the green button. If you don`t hear the sound, you click the button. And after the hearing test is completed, the device program will start to be a hearing aid.

REPORTER: A double duty device, something even he wasn`t sure that he could create.

VENTAKRISHNAN: I`m just surprised it turned out OK, right, because you never -- it`s hard to like see something like this working, like I wanted to quite a lot of times in the middle.

REPORTER: But besides his incredible persistence, there`s a big reason why he didn`t quit.

VENTAKRISHNAN: Summer after my freshman year, I went to India and I stayed with my grandparents. And my grandfather has had hearing loss for a little while.

REPORTER: And it became Mukund`s job to help get him to a doctor for a hearing aid. And the experience was less than ideal.

VENTAKRISHNAN: And the process took forever to find an audiologist. Then, once we got there, they ripped us off. And so, I kind of looked into the problem more and that`s kind of where I got into the idea.

REPORTER: So, when he got home from India, he went to work.

VENTAKRISHNAN: I started online. I looked up how to program online and I taught myself how to program.

REPORTER: And how to build a device at a price that more people can afford.

VENTAKRISHNAN: Yes, 60 bucks is what it is right now, and it`s crazy that they cost $1,500 each when you can do it for 60 bucks.

REPORTER: Two years working on the project and he still plans on making improvements.

VENTAKRISHNAN: But then when you finally, I should get that solution, it`s like the best feeling in the world, to finally break through and get that moment of ha-ha, like eureka. I love that feeling and it`s kind of what kept me going -- that and my grandfather.