Goal

Find an interesting use-case for an in-ear device.

Outcome

Hearing Protection that can be turned on and off mechanically for improved battery life and communation at construction sites, without the need to remove it from the ear.

Circular - Hearing Protection

4 Week Project
2022
Züricher Hochschule der Künste, Switzerland
Solo Project

Mechanical noice canceling

By making the noice canceling mechanical, open or closed, it allows circular to have a much longer battery life, because it only needs power to change the current state.

Don't touch the earbuds

With helmets in the way or gloves that only allow for very unprecise movements, using the earbud as the user interface was not an option. The case on the other hand can be worn acessable on the belt - with a big button to toggle NC.

Customization

As circular is designed to be used all day long, it was very important to allow customization as much as possible, thats why you can change out not only the ear tips but also the silicon wings, to fit all shapes and sizes of ears.

Packaging = Instructions

With the main product target group beeing blue collar workers, where the mentallity towards new tools is more learn as you go instead of reading a manual, I thought about a different approach to convey the right handling of a health and safety tool.

This is why you learn about the different features and how to use Circular, while you unpack it.

© Silvester Kössler

silvester@koe.design
+43 650 977 92 88