A hearing aid for the rest of us? No, don’t tell the FDA, but read on.
When I learned that Gints, an old SGI buddy and fellow signal processing advocate joined a small started called Doppler Labs I was curious so I visited their website and learned about Dubs their only product (earplugs with equalization provided via computer designed mechanical baffles tuned for listening to loud live music without damaging your hearing or the integrity of the experience). Cool product, but how does that relate to Gints, an embedded DSP expert?
Recently I stumbled across Doppler’s Kickstarter campaign for their new product, confusingly called “Here”, and I began to understand Gints’ move. Here is an active, DSP based earplugs with impressive sounding capabilities that allow you to selectively tune in what you are listening to and tune out what you are no by providing:
- a tunable equalizer providing 25 dB of attenuation and up to 5 dB of amplification
- tunable active noise cancelation
- effects!? (this band would be perfect with a little flange?)
- all controlled in realtime via an iPhone companion app
- in a pair of small, rechargeable, not too unhip looking packages
Frankly I am unsure what to make of Here, but am eager to give it a try and consequently ponied up the $199 Kickstarter funding level (the early bird specials had already flown)
Check Here out and let me know what you think…
