Collarphone Playback Device

2013-2014

###Introduction### Designed a personal audio playback system that circumvents the ear fatigue typical of intra/super/circum-aural listening devices (such as earbuds, earphones, and headphones).

###Design and Methodology### The system rests on the user’s neack and collar, being easily placed on the nape with the speakers pointed up at the user’s ears. The system utilizes parametric speakers, which are directional and produce audio in a tight cone. With the audio directed upwards, sound is less likely to bounce into other people’s ears, allowing for a private listening experience.

Two parametric speaker arrays were used, one for each side, and mounted onto a 3D printed chassis. Bluetooth functionality was introduced to allow the device to connect wirelessly to the user’s audio source.

###Results### The device was comfortable, but was not as portable as other solutions. While it did not cause any ear fatigue, it was also a less private listening solution, given that using it in enclosed spaces would allow others to slightly hear what the user was listening to. However, I learned a lot about the design cycle and thinking outside-the-box. This was a very rewarding capstone project.

The final presentation can be found here: Collarphone