EARLIDS & entacoustic performance

EARLIDS is a wearable device enabling the semi-voluntary control of auditory gain. Artificial “earlids” represent to the ears what natural eyelids are to the eyes: a fast and efficient reflex mechanism for protecting delicate sensory organs. Externally, the device presents itself as an ordinary pair of closed headphones, but hidden under each ear-cup we find EMG electrodes that monitor the contraction of the temporal and masseter muscles. When they contract or relax (consciously or unconsciously), the external sound being picked by binaural microphones placed on each side of the head will be greatly attenuated or greatly amplified depending on the mode of operation. Applications may range from instant hearing protection without requiring the use of hands (in particular for people having to work at the boundary of environments with notably different sound levels such as night clubs), to the generation of highly personal acoustic experiences rendered possible by the manipulation of the environmental acoustic material.