3D Printed Wireless Earphones Created Just for Your Ears

If there’s one area of wearable tech that frustrates me, it’s earbuds, earpods and earphones. I have yet to find any that fit right. It would be nice to effortlessly listen to music while at the gym. Instead, I’m constantly fidgeting with my ear-wear. Wouldn’t it be great if we could order our own custom earphones that would fit our ears perfectly? Better yet, wouldn’t it be a geeky twist if they were 3D printed? Of course, they’d have to be wireless and stylish too.

With OwnPhones, all of this is possible. I can understand why the OwnPhones team recently raised over $767,000 on Kickstarter (their goal was $250,000). The way their process works is surprisingly simple.

You just install the mobile app so you can scan your ears. Then, send your scan into OwnPhones along with your choice of design (they come with or without an LED). They will create a pair of 3D printed, wireless earphones specifically for your ears. These hi-tech earphones also provide adjustable noise cancellation.

One of my favorite parts about this process is that the app basically turns your smartphone into a 3D scanner. I think we’ll see this technology being used a lot more frequently as custom 3D printed products become even more widely available.

Since they’re integrated with Bluetooth 4.0 tech, we’ll never have to untangle wadded up earbud or earpod wires again. The Soundscaping feature is nice too since it allows you to block certain noises. For example, you’ll be able to block annoying environmental noise (like traffic) or background noise (like loud voices in a public place).

All of a sudden the one-size-fits-all approach to earbuds, earpods and earphones seems antiquated and short-sided. We all have different sized ears, and we want to enjoy our music and other audio on our own terms. The incredible response to the OwnPhones Kickstarter campaign is definitely a sign that we are ready for this huge quality of life upgrade.