For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed about a pair of earbuds that could pump music into my brain without the fuss of wires or plugs. And in recent years, various companieshave tried (and failed) to make good ones. A funded Kickstarter projectpromises to finally succeed.
They’re called OwnPhones. Billed as “the world’s first 3D-printed wireless earbuds custom fitted to your ears and perfectly designed to match your personality,” these impossible-seeming little gizmos sound too good to be true. The idea is that OwnPhones’ software turns your phone into a 3D scanner. So when you take a video of your ears from different angles, it turns the footage into 3D data, and after you pick one of 10,000 combinations of size, color, and style, a 3D printer spits out a pair of perfect earbuds just for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv05p-ueHEI
As with any Kickstarter project—funded or otherwise—I approach these promises with a hefty helping of caution. Because Kickstarter projectsare often ridiculous. On that note, when the product description uses adverbs like “perfectly,” I’m even more skeptical. The over-produced teaser video, with its Minority Report references and its misplaced subway speak, definitely cast a bit of doubt on the project.
And yet! The hilariously under-produced demo video actually gives me hope. Not only do you see the earbuds in a real human’s ears, but you also see them pair with an iPhone, talk to Siri with the press of a button, and even play music. And it’s worth noting that other companies are using a similar techniqueto customize earbuds. A working prototype does not a successful product make—however, I’m impressed enough to ride this one out, and maybe even buy a pair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc65UMFlnoU
The suggested retail price for OwnPhones is a whopping $300, but there are a few hundred early bird specials starting at $150 still available. Who knows how well the Bluetooth connection actually works or how they sound. But you’ll surely impress the pants of your futuristic friends, if you walk into a party talking to Siri with your magic earbuds like Joaquin Phoenixflirting with robo-Scarlett Johansson in Her. [Kickstarter]
