Seoul's Eunpyeong-gu said it will install "Smart Hearing Loop" systems at 11 smart bus shelters across the district by January 2027 to improve access to public transit information for people with hearing impairments.
The district was selected alongside WhatWeCare Co. for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' "2026 Public-Private Partnership Open Innovation Support Project," securing 70 million won ($49,100) in national funding. The money will go toward a pilot program officially titled the "AI-Based Smart Shelter Smart Hearing Loop Demonstration Project."
A hearing loop is an assistive listening system that transmits audio signals directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants. By reducing ambient noise interference, the technology lets users hear bus arrival announcements and public broadcasts at smart shelters more clearly.
The system also applies AI-powered real-time voice recognition, converting bus arrival information and public announcements into text displayed on shelter screens. People with hearing impairments can receive the same information through both audio and on-screen text.
To advance the project, Eunpyeong-gu signed an MOU with WhatWeCare, the Korea Startup Promotion Agency and the Seoul Creative Economy and Innovation Center on July 29, formally launching system installation and pilot testing.
Under the agreement, Eunpyeong-gu will provide 11 smart bus shelters as pilot sites and handle administrative support. WhatWeCare will build and operate the system, while the Korea Startup Promotion Agency and the Seoul Creative Economy and Innovation Center will support project management and performance evaluation.
After installation, the district plans to assess usability and technical effectiveness, then use the pilot results to explore expanding AI-based smart city services for people with hearing impairments.
"I hope this project helps improve mobility and access to information for people with hearing impairments," district mayor Kim Mi-kyung said. "Based on the pilot results, we will actively review ways to expand the system to smart shelters and a range of other public facilities."
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