The rising prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus is a global concern, with festivals, clubs, and concerts being major contributors. According to the World Health Organization, 1.1 billion people are at risk of hearing impairment due to exposure to high decibels. While earplugs offer a viable solution, many available models either perform poorly or lack style, hindering their adoption among the target audience. Celebrity DJs Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, who partnered with Hears, noticed firsthand that most partygoers do not wear any hearing protection. In contrast, hearing protection has become standard practice for themselves and other artists. Determined to change this, the Hears team set out to develop the best-performing earplugs possible. Leveraging their and other famous musicians’ role model status, they aim to endorse hearing protection and make it the norm.
Client
Services
UN Goal
In early 2023, the Hears team approached ManGo and was impressed by our extensive experience in wearable devices as well as in-ear product design. At that time, Hears was unaware that earplugs are legally classified as Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), as they protect a critical bodily function. This classification means the development process is filled with regulatory obstacles and certification procedures. To shorten development time and reduce costs, we proposed partnering with a reputable OEM (Elacin International) for hearing protection from our network. This allowed us to make use of their expertise in certification procedures and specialized production lines with necessary end-of-line tests for certification. Hears decided to go along with our proposal, which proved to be a wise choice, enabling them to launch their brand a year after the project initiation.
Hears had the design philosophy to place a strong emphasis on creating earplugs that are not only functional but also fashionably versatile, catering to diverse personalities and preferences. This input was given in the briefing to ManGo as well as the brand name Hears and the desire to integrate a heart like symbol into their branding. To enable a coherent brand identity and product design we set out on all elements of the development simultaneously. Three attractive earplug concepts, complete with unboxing experience packaging designs, were presented to the Hears team. The winning design that stole the show featured earplug outlines that, when overlaid, resembled a heart shape. This concept was further developed by our design team into the Hears logo, creating a clear and recognizable brand icon.
The “Coin” symbolizes the impact of soundwaves on ears and boasts a luxurious finish reminiscent of fine jewelry. Designed as a separate element, it can be customized with the branding of renowned artists, clubs and festivals. These collaborations help raise awareness about the importance of hearing protection.
The “Track” half-heart-shaped design ensures a secure, comfortable fit in any ear. Designed for user convenience, it facilitates easy insertion and removal. Its visually appealing shape enhances the allure of the earplugs, reflecting our dedication to practical, stylish solutions.
Designing and engineering earplugs involves several critical elements. Firstly, developing the right sound filter is essential, followed by ensuring its correct integration into the overall design. Every aspect of material selection, surface finishes and geometry impact the earplug’s functionality. It’s a complicated jigsaw puzzle which required our team of design engineers to work alongside the OEM audio experts with their sophisticated testing and analysis equipment. Throughout the development process, numerous prototypes were created and tested for performance. Each test yielded new insights, leading to further iterations for improvements. Beyond noise reduction, comfort is also crucial for earplugs. Our team optimized the wearing angle for the majority of users and ensured easy insertion and removal of the earplugs, accommodating both small and large hands.
In addition to developing the brand identity, product design, and packaging for Hears, the ManGo team also assisted in setting up mass production for their earplug lineup. One of the main challenges with earplugs is ensuring that the mass-produced product meets final certification standards using off-tool components. These assessments involve hearing tests with a focus group to determine attenuation, with uncertain outcomes. However, thanks to ManGo’s in-ear design experience and intimate knowledge about production processes this hurdle was minimized. To address the delicate process of assembling miniature filters into the housing without damaging any components, a special tool was developed. Additionally, working with our injection molding partner, Production Heroes, we created another tool to achieve a high-quality metallization finish quickly. This latter task proved challenging due to the intricate details of the design but was eventually tackled.
In addition to developing the brand identity, product design, and packaging for Hears, the ManGo team also assisted in setting up mass production for their earplug lineup. One of the main challenges with earplugs is ensuring that the mass-produced product meets final certification standards using off-tool components. These assessments involve hearing tests with a focus group to determine attenuation, with uncertain outcomes. However, thanks to ManGo’s in-ear design experience and the close collaboration with OEM Elacin International this hurdle was minimized. To address the delicate process of assembling miniature filters into the housing without damaging any components, a special tool was developed. Additionally, working with our injection molding partner, Production Heroes, we created another tool to achieve a high-quality metallization finish quickly. This latter task proved challenging due to the intricate details of the design but was eventually tackled.
Hears is on a mission to redefine the norm for music festivals, concerts and clubs by promoting the widespread use of earplugs. The advanced earplugs developed by ManGo for Hears eliminate harmful noise without compromising sound quality. They feature a patented filter with advanced membrane technology that acts like a second set of eardrums, effectively reducing sound vibration energy while preserving sound quality. This innovation compensates for the natural resonance effect of an open ear and provides frequency-independent vibration absorption, ensuring a completely natural sound experience. This harmonious integration of design and technology represents the culmination of extensive efforts by all involved, earning one of the world’s most prestigious design awards, the Red Dot.
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