Doppler Labs, the company behind the Here Active Listening System, announced today (June 12) that it has secured investments from concert giant Live Nation, label group Universal Music and talent agency WME.
Doppler’s “bionic ears” feature two wireless buds that allow a listener to “control and personalize” a live audio environment, an innovation that’s well-suited for concerts and live performances. The idea is to let the user effectively make a personal “mix” of whatever he or she is hearing.
A Kickstarter campaign for the product has surpassed $375,000, the company also announced, surpassing its original $250,000 30-day goal in less than 48 hours. It runs through July and is offering the buds and app at $199 before they are available on the commercial market.
Said Noah Kraft, CEO and co-founder of Doppler Labs: “Support from these music industry leaders helps position the Here Active Listening System to revolutionize live entertainment – especially for concerts and live music. The technology we have created with Here has the potential to make every seat in the house the best seat in the house by allowing every listener to personalize their live audio environment based on their own specific listening preferences.”
The system uses signal processing algorithms that target specific frequency ranges so that you can isolate and control a given sound as it enters your ears. Tools include volume control; an equalizer to adjust bass, mids or treble; sound effects such as reverb and echo; and preset filters that, for instance, might reduce the sound of a crying baby while you’re on a plane or boost the bass at a concert. The company claims that this occurs in real time with no perceivable latency.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter earlier this month, Kraft declared, “Wearable technology is the future.”
