By the time my grandfather turned 94, his hearing had declined dramatically. Even with hearing aids, he could barely hear. Mentally, he is sharp—he loves discussing politics, economics, engineering, and physics—but conversations had become frustrating. Our family had to yell to be heard, and he often apologized for not hearing which wasn't his fault.
With a background in speech technology, I felt there had to be a better solution. iPhone apps showed some promise, but they were too complex for someone who prefers simple, single-purpose devices—not screens filled with icons, menus, and pop-ups.
After almost two years of searching without success, I decided to build one myself. In my garage, with a 3D printer, a laptop, and plenty of jasmine boba breaks, CaptionPad was born.
My grandfather loves it. He's been able to reconnect with people in his life in a way he hadn't for quite some time. He lives with my mom, and it has made communicating with him much easier for her as well.
I've started this small tech company to help others reconnect in the same way we have with my grandfather.
