Bluetooth earbuds that connect to our iOS devices are not a new trend. We’ve seen them in varying degrees of design and success over the last few years. Doppler Labs is aiming to take that design and help you hear in a whole new way. No, not hear your music, but the sounds around you.
The Here Active Listening System is designed to allow users to customize the sounds of the world around them. Filter out a crying baby? No problem. Bump up the bass at that concert? Taken care of with the swipe of a finger. But it’s the design that has really caught Kickstarter’s attention…
In just over two days, Doppler Labs has managed to raise roughly 112% of its $250,000 goal. It’s on its way to being one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns if it can stay on this pace. So what’s all the fuss about?
Much like other wireless buds on the market, Here sits in the canal of the ear delivering audio from a source. Unlike other options, the source is your environment. An external facing microphone on each side picks up the sound around you and is augmented via the digital sound processor based on your chosen EQ settings. There are presets that are programmed for different environments or users can simply adjust the sound as needed. Here uses Bluetooth Low Energy to communicate with your iPhone, which is where your listening preferences are selected.
These adjustments and settings allow users to drown out or boost certain sounds as they please. That means a customizable listening experience in nearly every setting. Legendary film composer Hans Zimmer – yeah the guy behind the Lion King and Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks – offers his thoughts on the potential of Here:
The whole project is very intriguing, especially for musicians or those that have sensitivity to certain noises. There is a lot of potential here for different scenarios and uses – just as long as they aren’t streaming music or answering phone calls, Here is not for that. It comes with a USB-rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is good for roughly six hours, plus a carrying case and different silicone ear tips.
There is still plenty of time to get in on the action, with 26 days remaining a pledge of $179 will get you a set in December. The planned retail price is $249 when Here is released to public next year.
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