Screaming Airplane Baby No Match for World's First Bionic Earphones

Tech Tuesday is a new column that highlights the latest digital trends, travel gadgets, and online services that help you get from A to B with as little fuss as possible. Today, we're looking at a pair of smart earphones that promises precise control over the noises we encounter while traveling.

If you think you need superpowers to understand a new foreign language, reduce background noise in a boisterous bar, or block out a crying baby on a redeye, then you've never heard of InspEar Active Earbuds.

The revolutionary new bionic earphones, powered by technology developed for industrial workers and soldiers in combat, take high-quality noise-canceling headphones to a new level. They will also translate foreign languages in real time, carry out voice commands like Siri and Alexa, and, believe it or not, augment natural hearing by minimizing all external noise or selectively decreasing unwanted sounds to enhance those that matter.

Sounds incredible! We just have to wait until they're available at the end of the year.

According to a representative from French startup InspEar, the buds will be wired to a pocket-friendly server that runs on artificial intelligence, with a battery life of about eight hours. The cord is worn down the back (you can pretend you're Beyonce or Jay-Z), will not have an exterior microphone (the device picks up voices through the inner ear); and will plug into any smart device. From there, an app will run the show.

The earbuds in action. Photo courtesy of InspEar.

THE TAKEAWAY

It looks like the evolution of wearable tech is hearable tech. The earbuds work with our natural abilities and are not hearing aids. But they could revolutionize the way we interact with devices, surroundings, and acquaintances in far-away places.

WHERE TO BUY

InspEar Active Earbuds are expected to cost between $600 and $700 and will be available for purchase later this year at inspear.com. Every device will be custom-made using 3-D printing technology and will come with an extra pair of wireless earbuds ergonomically designed to cancel noise while sleeping.

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