Sennheiser and Formlabs to create custom earbud shapes

Two different companies – renowned for Sennheiser audio and Formlabs 3D printing technology – have teamed up to create truly personalized in-ear headphones. So far, their personalization has mostly been limited to the three sizes of earbuds included.

The technology, which is being developed by Sennheiser and Formlabs, is for the next model of Ambeo headphones. In the future, their owner will receive individual earbuds for each ear. It is clear that the headphones will become more convenient and comfortable, less likely to fall out of the ears and provide better sound insulation.

It should work like this: the buyer of the headphones will scan their ears with a special mobile application. The manufacturer will receive the data. Then, strictly individual liners will be printed on a Formlabs Form3 3D printer. The company emphasized the accuracy and smoothness of the surfaces of future products.

Ideally, the entire process – from scanning the ears to dispensing the finished earbuds – should take less than a day. One of the main issues is the mass production of new items. The timing of its decision and the prices of future individual solutions in the Ambeo headphones are not yet known.