Challenge:　
The rapid aging of the population is a major problem in developed nations. This makes the problem of age-related hearing loss more acute. One in nine people has age-related hearing loss in Japan, but around half of them are unaware of the symptoms. This is because people are unwilling to see a doctor just for a hearing test. Our challenge was to help people detect hearing loss in its early stages.

Idea:　
Create a new hearing test experience using birdsongs in nature.

When age-related hearing loss occurs, high-pitched sounds become inaudible first. This makes some birdsongs difficult for the elderly to hear due to the high pitch of their sound. We focused on this fact and turned birdsong into a hearing check tool. To help people find wild birds and check their hearing easily, we created a mobile app that utilizes GPS data, geographic data, and bird habitat data to detect nearby wild birds.

Results:　
Around 1,000 Panasonic stores participated in the project. The app covered 18,000+ mountains and 12,500+ lakes, providing ample hearing test points. Sales of Panasonic’s hearing instruments increased by 26% compared with the same month one year earlier.