The Wear Microphone Necklace is designed to make it easier for those who are hard of hearing to carry on a conversation. The necklace is actually a directional microphone that filters out unwanted sound to ensure that you only hear what the person you’re talking to is saying. Wear is equipped with 10 tiny directional microphones that form a 6-foot zone around the wearer. The sounds in this zone are amplified while sounds outside of the zone are filtered out.
The Wear Microphone Necklace works with any pair of normal headphones, so you don’t need to purchase any extra equipment to use it. Its inventors, Eric Rosenthall and Michelle Temple, stress that it isn’t a replacement for a hearing aid but rather a device to assist those who are hard of hearing. Rosenthall and Temple are seeking $30,000 of funding on Kickstarter, and a pledge of $165 is currently needed to secure a Wear.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Assistive Wearable Technology
- Wearable technology that assists individuals with disabilities or challenges in daily activities, such as communication or mobility, has significant potential for disruptive innovation opportunities.
- Directional Microphone Applications
- Further exploration of directional microphones and their applications, such as in hearing aids or security systems, could lead to disruptive innovations in multiple industries.
- Accessories for Personal Sound Amplification
- The invention of wearable accessories that amplify and filter sound for personal use has the potential to disrupt the traditional hearing aid industry.
Where This Applies
- Healthcare
- Assistive wearable technology has the potential to significantly disrupt the traditional healthcare industry, especially in the areas of hearing aids and communication devices.
- Audio Technology
- Directional microphone technology has a variety of applications in the audio and recording industries, and has the potential for disruptive innovation opportunities.
- Fashion Accessories
- The creation of fashionable and functional accessories for personal sound amplification could shake up the traditional hearing aid industry and change how individuals view and use these devices.
