Spanish Designer Nacho Martí is helping underprivileged people see more clearly. A recent Top Nominee of the Index Awards, Marti’s Stenop correcting glasses bring 20/20 vision to poor people around the world who can’t afford expensive crystal glasses. Glasses are replaced by rows of small holes using the concept of stenopeic vision. Stenop glasses can reduce 80% of myopia, hyperopia and presbyopia. The glasses are plastic made in one single piece and mass produced.

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With 10% of the world population living with a disabling hearing impairment, and 80% of them live in developing countries, a big challenge is the battery, which is often expensive to keep charged and replace. The SolarAid solar-powered hearing-aid battery recharger, developed in Botswana by Godisa Technologies, helps those with hearing disabilities afford to continue in school and participate in economy activity without worrying about their hearing aid battery. There are already more than 7,000 units in use in South America, Central America, Africa, and Asia.

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The Watercone makes salt and brackish water fresh using only the sun, evaporation, and a simple, portable plastic cone. Every day 5000 children die as a result of unsafe water-related diseases, and Watercone provides up to 1.6 liters a day, covering all of a child’s daily water needs. The process is simple- fill the black base pan with salty or brackish water, float the cone on top. The black pan absorbs sunlight and heats up the water to support evaporation. Through condensation, the evaporated water collects in the form of droplets on the inner wall of the cone. These droplets trickle down the inner wall into a circular trough at the inner base of the cone. The cone can then be flipped over and the fresh water poured out.

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