4 ms·

These are definitely not the world's first smart earplugs - Etymotic has been offering this kind of technology for quite a long time now. http://www.etymotic.c

These are definitely not the world's first smart earplugs - Etymotic has been offering this kind of technology for quite a long time now. http://www.etymotic.com/gsp15.html http://www.etymotic.com/gsp15.html

d4n13ll33 12y ago
We're the first "smart" earplugs in the modern understanding of the word "smart" as a connected device! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_device http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_device
chockablock 12y ago
I think it's a reasonable claim. Those Etymotics are just a mic-and-speaker system that does 'compression' (in the audio engineering sense of that word)--they're actually more analogous to an in-ear hearing aid. [Edited to be less snarky, before I noticed the reply]
- bashinator 12y ago
  They dynamically adapt to the environment. I'd call that pretty smart for earplugs - certainly more directly applicable to their intended usage than smartphone-style connectivity. [edited to remove snark]
  - d4n13ll33 12y ago
    Yeah, those etymotic's are smart in their own right. I'm just riding the "smart wearable" trend and making the "world's first smart" claim based on the understanding of smart being a connected device! :)
  - chockablock 12y ago
    Fair enough. Arguments about marketing aside, the 'Hush' and the 'Gun Sport Pro' have very different capabilities and serve different functions and markets. It's too easy when you see a new product to point to something similar and say 'Meh--nothing new here'. In this case I think there's real innovation and I responded to your post to try to make that point.
    - bashinator 12y ago
      Fair enough. I'm a musician so that's the first thing that came to mind when I heard "smart earplugs" (Etymotic have a wide range of products beyond the GSP). I do have to work in a noisy office environment sometimes, and so these could be great for that. Right now I have a giant pair of construction-site style over-the-ear cans that I combine with various noise generators.
e12e 12y ago
See also: http://www.honeywellsafety.com/USA/Learn-More/QUIETPRO_Clearest_Communication,_Especially_in_High_Noise.aspx http://www.honeywellsafety.com/USA/Learn-More/QUIETPRO_Clear... The problem as I understand it, is that the skin in the ears isn't really tough enough to stick something in there for too long. Reportedly US marines abandoned those linked above, as troops started bleeding from their ears after a certain number of hours of use. Now, that was probably 20 hours+ - not really a problem if used only for sleep or only for work. But for any kind of 24/7 use, something molded to the outer ears is probably better.
- d4n13ll33 12y ago
  There are a lot of weird plastic shapes to the Quietpro design that I can see irritating and making someone's ear bleed. If it was the foam causing people to bleed, I'd find that very strange as there are millions of people that use earplugs for hours and hours on end with no problem :/
  - e12e 12y ago
    Maybe i wasn't clear: the problem appears for troops that use them in war zones: essentially days on end, not merely hours. If it was just the foam type used, I'm sure they'd try and mix it up with something more soft. That was a huge contract that was partially cancelled.
    - d4n13ll33 12y ago
      Hmm, yeah. That's some pretty interesting insights though! Thanks for sharing. Then it wasn't the foam, it's probably that their ears got irritated from that plastic housing - I've learned a LOT about designing for the ear these past months and that shape is not ergonomic, haha!
    - veb 12y ago
      I've always worn hearing aids, with ear moulds. They're worn all the time, except for sleep. Other deaf people I know, wear them while sleeping for some odd reason. I couldn't fathom to wear anything while sleeping! They've never made my ears bleed, nor anyone else I know. Maybe troops should wear properly fitted moulds :)

d4n13ll33 12y ago

We're the first "smart" earplugs in the modern understanding of the word "smart" as a connected device! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_device http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_device

chockablock 12y ago

I think it's a reasonable claim. Those Etymotics are just a mic-and-speaker system that does 'compression' (in the audio engineering sense of that word)--they're actually more analogous to an in-ear hearing aid. [Edited to be less snarky, before I noticed the reply]

bashinator 12y ago
They dynamically adapt to the environment. I'd call that pretty smart for earplugs - certainly more directly applicable to their intended usage than smartphone-style connectivity. [edited to remove snark]
- d4n13ll33 12y ago
  Yeah, those etymotic's are smart in their own right. I'm just riding the "smart wearable" trend and making the "world's first smart" claim based on the understanding of smart being a connected device! :)
- chockablock 12y ago
  Fair enough. Arguments about marketing aside, the 'Hush' and the 'Gun Sport Pro' have very different capabilities and serve different functions and markets. It's too easy when you see a new product to point to something similar and say 'Meh--nothing new here'. In this case I think there's real innovation and I responded to your post to try to make that point.
  - bashinator 12y ago
    Fair enough. I'm a musician so that's the first thing that came to mind when I heard "smart earplugs" (Etymotic have a wide range of products beyond the GSP). I do have to work in a noisy office environment sometimes, and so these could be great for that. Right now I have a giant pair of construction-site style over-the-ear cans that I combine with various noise generators.

e12e 12y ago

See also: http://www.honeywellsafety.com/USA/Learn-More/QUIETPRO_Clearest_Communication,_Especially_in_High_Noise.aspx http://www.honeywellsafety.com/USA/Learn-More/QUIETPRO_Clear... The problem as I understand it, is that the skin in the ears isn't really tough enough to stick something in there for too long. Reportedly US marines abandoned those linked above, as troops started bleeding from their ears after a certain number of hours of use. Now, that was probably 20 hours+ - not really a problem if used only for sleep or only for work. But for any kind of 24/7 use, something molded to the outer ears is probably better.

d4n13ll33 12y ago
There are a lot of weird plastic shapes to the Quietpro design that I can see irritating and making someone's ear bleed. If it was the foam causing people to bleed, I'd find that very strange as there are millions of people that use earplugs for hours and hours on end with no problem :/
- e12e 12y ago
  Maybe i wasn't clear: the problem appears for troops that use them in war zones: essentially days on end, not merely hours. If it was just the foam type used, I'm sure they'd try and mix it up with something more soft. That was a huge contract that was partially cancelled.
  - d4n13ll33 12y ago
    Hmm, yeah. That's some pretty interesting insights though! Thanks for sharing. Then it wasn't the foam, it's probably that their ears got irritated from that plastic housing - I've learned a LOT about designing for the ear these past months and that shape is not ergonomic, haha!
  - veb 12y ago
    I've always worn hearing aids, with ear moulds. They're worn all the time, except for sleep. Other deaf people I know, wear them while sleeping for some odd reason. I couldn't fathom to wear anything while sleeping! They've never made my ears bleed, nor anyone else I know. Maybe troops should wear properly fitted moulds :)