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Hush: The World's First Smart Earplugs

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Re: Hush: The World's First Smart Earplugs

#91

Post by collyw »

e12e wrote: post #49
bashinator wrote: post #13

These are definitely not the world's first smart earplugs - Etymotic has been offering this kind of technology for quite a long time now. http://www.etymotic.com/gsp15.html

See also: http://www.honeywellsafety.com/USA/Learn-More/QUIETPRO_Clear... The problem as I understand it, is that the skin in the ears isn't really tough enough to stick something in there for too long. Reportedly US marines abandoned those linked above, as troops started bleeding from their ears after a certain number of hours of use. Now, that was probably 20 hours+ - not really a problem if used only for sleep or…

My ears get irritated after using foam earplugs for a few night in a row.

Re: Hush: The World's First Smart Earplugs

#92

Post by corobo »

boards2x wrote: post #87

Find it shameful that even though it seems most of the developers are clearly non-white (see about-us), they use standard stock images of Caucasians. I would never buy a product promoted this way.

That may be an issue with yourself - Honestly the first thing I noticed people-wise was that they're all named Daniel

Re: Hush: The World's First Smart Earplugs

#93

Post by boards2x »

boards2x wrote: post #87

Find it shameful that even though it seems most of the developers are clearly non-white (see about-us), they use standard stock images of Caucasians. I would never buy a product promoted this way.

The Israeli education ministry recently launched a new site, in which they've used stock photos of, mostly, Nordic looking children and families.

Israel is a melting pot. Eastern Europeans, North African and near eastern Jews, and recently lots of Russians. None look particularly Nordic or even European (ie Slavic, Eastern European etc.) , unless they're not Jewish to begin with (many Russian immigrants, according to Israeli press, are not Jewish).

You want find many blonde Israelis, except for women who dye their hair (mostly Russians, but not limited).

So looking at an official site which represents a false idea of who we are as people, was disturbing, and in deed, people quickly responded and objected to what was done with tax payers money.

My problem is that using stock images blends and makes real people transparent, not present.

I understand that this is the easiest option, marketing-wise, but it's offensive.

There's a flip side too. People that can't connect to promotional material that misrepresents reality. Weather non-realistic women in fashion media, removal of diversity from promotional material and so on.

It's just wrong.

Taking a risk here generalizing, but I feel that with Asians it might be even worst, because of their perceived obsession with "whiteness". It's just offensive.

Re: Hush: The World's First Smart Earplugs

#94

Post by mironathetin »

e12e wrote: post #49
bashinator wrote: post #13

These are definitely not the world's first smart earplugs - Etymotic has been offering this kind of technology for quite a long time now. http://www.etymotic.com/gsp15.html

See also: http://www.honeywellsafety.com/USA/Learn-More/QUIETPRO_Clear... The problem as I understand it, is that the skin in the ears isn't really tough enough to stick something in there for too long. Reportedly US marines abandoned those linked above, as troops started bleeding from their ears after a certain number of hours of use. Now, that was probably 20 hours+ - not really a problem if used only for sleep or…

"...is that the skin in the ears isn't really tough enough to stick something in there for too long…"

I use earplugs every night. The ones I think are most comfortable block up to 38 db at low frequencies and 48 db for high frequencies. They are really soft - and I mean: really. I sleep like a baby (and I don't miss my alarm in the morning). Still, in case of fire during a REM phase, I probably will die ;o).

I also have professional plugs from the acoustician that were fitted to my ears, but they are much harder (silicone). Those I can wear during the day (underground, bus etc.) but not during the night. They do hurt the ears brutally. The little movements that happen, when the ear rubs the pillow are sufficient to cause severe pain.

Re: Hush: The World's First Smart Earplugs

#95

Post by e12e »

veb wrote: post #79
e12e wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe i wasn't clear: the problem appears for troops that use them in war zones: essentially days on end, not merely hours. If it was just the foam type used, I'm sure they'd try and mix it up with something more soft. That was a huge contract that was partially cancelled.

I've always worn hearing aids, with ear moulds. They're worn all the time, except for sleep. Other deaf people I know, wear them while sleeping for some odd reason. I couldn't fathom to wear anything while sleeping! They've never made my ears bleed, nor anyone else I know. Maybe troops should wear properly fitted moulds :)

Well, you do take them out 8 hours of the day then. Here we're talking 24/7 in dry desert heat.

Re: Hush: The World's First Smart Earplugs

#96

Post by c23gooey »

foxylad wrote: post #65
d4n13ll33 wrote: post #9

Hacker News just broke our website, LOL You could check out what we're doing on our Kickstarter, haha. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hush/hush-the-worlds-fi...

Off topic, but possibly useful information for the OP. Your use of "haha"s are quite off-putting for me, I think because to me they imply you are not taking what you just wrote seriously. Do they bother anyone else, or am I just out of touch with da yoof?

That kind of language works for most of the internet.

It doesnt work on HN, which tends to take itself more seriously (for better or worse)

Re: Hush: The World's First Smart Earplugs

#97

Post by [deleted] »

d4n13ll33 wrote: post #33
RickHull wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My biggest concern generally is in-ear comfort. Short of molded customs, every in-ear headphone I've tried causes canal soreness within an hour or two, including the "sound delivery straw" designs with delicate foam or rubber surrounds. Secondarily, it looks like the current model sticks out, causing pressure if one's head is resting on its side. That said, my ear canal soreness is largely due to canal deformation re…

There are some people that have very differently shaped ears that we simply can't account for with a single design. Can I ask which part of your ear got irritated so that I can make a note? http://www.rudyard.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/external-e... Was it the tragus?

[deleted]

Re: Hush: The World's First Smart Earplugs

#98

Post by d4n13ll33 »

illicium wrote: post #84
d4n13ll33 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I spoke with someone from Kickstarter, they said that it's a safeguard against 'vaporware.' As long as you show evidence of your actual prototype (boards, CAD models, etc) and that real engineering is complete, it's fine!

So why aren't there photos of your final 1x scale prototype? The evolution pic is a render, which leads me to believe that engineering challenges will prevent you going from breadboard to 2x to 1x scale, making this project dead in the water.

The bottom right picture in the evolution of hush montage is our final 1x scale prototype. We zoomed a bit but it's much smaller than the prototypes to the left of it.
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