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FAUNA Audio Glasses: Introducing The Open-Ear Trend
FAUNA Audio Glasses is USound’s daughter company and the first to introduce MEMS-speaker-powered devices to the audio market. It has won several awards, including the “German Innovation Award” in 2021. Its wearable devices follow the most recent market demands, introducing open-ear technology to a wide range of customers. Here is why decision-makers should pay attention to MEMS-powered audiowear, and how consumers will benefit from open-ear technology.
The Surge of Wearable Technology and Audio Glasses
From smart rings and watches to audio glasses, wearable devices are getting increasingly popular. They act as accessories and gadgets at once, driving the Fashion and Tech industries to converge. Watches, rings, belts, glasses, and hats can now integrate mechanical components and transform into electronic devices. They can measure your health status, answer your calls, and guide you through the city. These devices are no longer stored in your bag or pockets; they are part of your outfit and, in a way, an extension of your body. As Michael Dell once stated, “wearable devices are here to stay, and they’ll only get more sophisticated and effective as they evolve.”
Audio glasses are a great example of wearable technology. At first glance, they look like a regular pair of specs. Once the user touches the temples of the frame, however, they can act as open-ear headphones. The user can answer phone calls, use a GPS application, and listen to music or podcasts just by wearing their glasses, including blue light, prescription, and sunglasses.
The benefits of using such devices are limitless. For example, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of how harmful prolonged screentime can be. From insomnia to eye strain, screens can cause a multitude of negative effects. By purchasing a pair of FAUNA Audio Glasses with blue light lenses, users can minimize their smartphone usage, since they do not have to touch their screens to adjust the volume or change the track. This is a great benefit for users of prescription glasses, since they wear their specs on a regular basis. However, everyone can benefit from this technology. Afterall, people protect their eyes with sunglasses whenever they step outside, or use blue light filter lenses at work.
Limited distractions are another benefit of these devices. Perhaps you are driving wearing your sunglasses. No matter how bright the sun may be, you can see the road ahead of you clearly. Since the sunglasses are also audio-enabled, you simultaneously minimize all other risks resulting from distracted driving. You can adjust the volume of your music or GPS application by simply touching the temple of your frames. You keep your eyes on the road, and your glasses fulfill multiple roles at the same time. They protect your eyes, keep you focused and stylish, while replacing your wireless earphones, reducing the number of pieces you have to carry around. They are more than a gadget or a fashion item. They are part of your lifestyle.
MEMS-Powered Audiowear
USound offers the best audio solutions for audio glasses and other wearable devices. Our MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) speakers have a thin form factor, enabling the design of lightweight, slim frames. Moreover, their wide bandwidth of up to 40 kHz offers crystal clear and precise sound.
FAUNA Audio Glasses was the first company to introduce MEMS-speaker-powered devices to the audio market, with many companies opting for microspeakers since its debut. That is because, not only is there a surge of wearable technology, but MEMS speakers are setting out to dominate the micro-acoustic audio market thanks to their small size and unparalleled acoustic performance.
USound’s audio solutions, in particular, offer additional benefits for audio glasses. For example, our 2-way system solution enables further optimization of the sound quality, by splitting the woofer for low frequencies and a MEMS tweeter for high frequencies. In this way, manufacturers are granted more freedom in their design choices to get the maximum performance while keeping the outside shape slim and stylish. Lightweight and thin components are crucial when designing wearables, since users carry these devices on their bodies for prolonged periods of time.
The Future of Open-Ear Technology
With the surge of wearable technology, another consumer trend has been spotted in the audio market. Open-ear devices are hearables that do not enter the user’s ear canal, such as traditional earphones, but are rather placed close to the outer ear.
Although noise-cancelling headphones seem to dominate the market, open-ear devices are growing in popularity, thanks to lifestyle changes that require higher awareness. For example, the outdoor recreation industry has reportedly seen a significant growth since the pandemic, with hobbies such as running and cycling gaining more fans. It goes without saying that using noise-cancelling earphones while working out outdoors poses huge risks, including traffic accidents. Consumers search for wearable devices that are easy and safe to use while on the go and open-ear technology satisfies their needs.
The audio glasses by FAUNA are wearable and open-ear devices, following both consumer trends. However, not all open-ear wearables are built the same, since manufacturers use different methods to achieve good audio performance and privacy. For example, there are some bone conduction headphones on the market that try to aim for a natural listening experience for the wearer, while keeping the sound leakage to the surroundings low. FAUNA, on the other hand, takes advantage of USound’s patented dipole design.
Two ports are placed in a way that cancels out the sound in the horizontal directions, reducing the sound leakage to the surroundings. Reducing sound leakage means that the sound produced by the audio glasses is localized and does not diffuse into the environment, which increases the audio privacy of the user. Although the device does not enter the ear canal, the dipole design ensures that the user’s music or phone calls cannot be heard by other people.
Designing the Audio Devices of the Future
FAUNA has identified two of the most prevalent market trends of our time, which are set to have a lasting impact. At the same time, USound continues to provide audio solutions that enable FAUNA and other MEMS-powered electronics companies to design the devices consumers desire. Both companies are evolving the audio industry by adopting new technologies to bring revolutionary products to the market.
Learn more about FAUNA Audio Glasses by visiting www.wearfauna.com. If you design audio-enabled wearables that follow consumer trends, you can benefit from USound’s MEMS speakers and patented designs. Drop us an email, and one of our team members will provide you with additional information. In the meantime, you can browse our B2B audio solutions on our dedicated page.
About the Author
Marialena Perpiraki is a Content Marketing Specialist with a background in Journalism. She has been part of USound’s Marketing department since March 2023.
