3D printing has done it again — this time enabling the electronics company Normal to create custom-made earphones, the kind that actually stay in your ears.
“We’re extremely excited to launch Normal and fill a void in the market with tailor-made earphones that sound incredible,” Founder and CEO Nikki Kaufman said in a press release. “Employing innovative technologies across 3D printing and mobile commerce, we’ve developed a product that is completely personalized for you.”
On the Normal website, consumers find these golden words promising a new era in the world of headphones: “Without giving away secrets, we use nerdalicious software and 3D printing to sculpt each one-of-a-kind pair. A proper fit helps every single note go directly into your sound craters. No noise left behind.”
In a video promotion, Normal explains the reasoning behind custom-made earphones: “What you may not realize is that your ears are quite unlike anyone else’s. Completely unique, in fact, which is why we created this.”
To order your custom-made earphones, all you need to do is download the Normal app and snap a photo of both your ears. After you send the photos to Normal, the company will design earphones to fit your unique ears and then 3D print the product.
Consumers should be forewarned: crafting these earphones is a pretty tough project and might cause some strange smells. The price is currently set at $199.
According to the video, “Manufacturing the perfect likeness of an ear is not for the amateur. The work is arduous, puzzling complex, and produces peculiar aromas.”
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