AI-Empowered Invisible Earpiece & Wrist Module
Budget: $250 – $750 USD
An invisible, AI-powered wearable will whisper real-time insights—fact-checking, conversation prompts, and subtle reply suggestions — while I continue hearing the people around me. The system is split into two parts:
• Two interchangeable, receive-only micro-earpieces that sit fully inside the ear canal
• A 38–40 mm wrist-mounted control module housing microphones, compute, battery, and wireless links
The control unit must continuously capture ambient speech, run low-latency AI processing, and stream its voice response back to the earpieces so both voices (ambient and assistant) play simultaneously.
Project scope covers electronics, firmware, enclosure design, and a lean software stack. Expect to lean on MEMS mic beam-forming, Bluetooth LE Audio, low-power DSP, and on-device inference with TensorFlow Lite (or an equally efficient alternative). Cloud fallback for heavier language tasks is fine, provided end-to-end latency stays under 300 ms.
Acceptance criteria
• Speech-to-insight-to-ear latency ≤ 300 ms
• Wrist module diameter 38–40 mm with modular mounting plate
• Earpieces remain visually undetectable from one metre away
• Independent volume control for ambient and assistant audio streams
Any existing patents or standards that may affect the design should be flagged early, but otherwise the technical and mechanical approach is open to innovation.
Core Objectives:
1. Design and develop prototype PCB and electronics for:
Main Control Unit (Hub): 38–40mm circular device housing Bluetooth LE Audio (Nordic nRF5340), dual MEMS microphones, battery management, and control button with LED ring.
Invisible Earpieces: ≤12mm × 8mm in-ear air conduction receivers with balanced armature speakers, BLE Audio reception, and compact 60mAh LiPo battery.
2. Implement low-power Bluetooth LE Audio communication (LC3 codec, Auracast support).
3. Integrate and validate core audio pipeline**, focusing on high clarity and low latency (<50ms audio, <2s end-to-end).
4. Deliver basic mechanical blueprint/CAD enclosures** for prototype assembly (hub and earpieces).
Technical Focus Areas:
Microelectronics & PCB design (dense, low-power layouts for wearables)
Bluetooth LE Audio (Nordic nRF5340) integration and firmware architecture
Balanced armature driver & MEMS microphone integration
Battery and power management (LiPo, BQ25100/MCP73831 or similar)
Embedded firmware (Zephyr OS or FreeRTOS environment)
Prototyping and validation testing (connectivity, battery life, SNR, latency)
Deliverables:
1. PCB design files (Gerber + schematics) for hub and earpieces
2. Component selection and full Bill of Materials (BOM)
3. Basic firmware (Bluetooth LE Audio connection, LED/button control, audio path)
4. Preliminary enclosure design (3D model or technical drawing)
5. Documentation covering architecture, wiring, and testing plan
Preferred Experience:
Previous work with miniaturized wearables, hearing aids, or wireless earbuds
Proven experience with Nordic nRF5340 / LE Audio chipsets**
Familiarity with air conduction and balanced armature acoustics
Understanding of medical-grade or ergonomic wearable design**
Experience with low-power embedded systems and small-form-factor PCB design
Nice to Have:
Familiarity with beamforming audio processing and noise reduction DSP
Experience integrating AI/ML edge inference in embedded systems
Comfort with multi-component Bluetooth communication (hub ↔ smartphone ↔ earpieces)
Engagement Details:
Project Type: Fixed-price (with milestone structure for each prototype stage)
Scope: Hardware prototype through proof-of-concept testing.
If you have hands-on experience with miniature Bluetooth earbud or hearing-aid-level hardware, please include:
Examples of prior related work (photos, documentation, or project references)
Brief description of your development toolchain and design software (Altium, KiCad, SolidWorks, etc.)
• Two interchangeable, receive-only micro-earpieces that sit fully inside the ear canal
• A 38–40 mm wrist-mounted control module housing microphones, compute, battery, and wireless links
The control unit must continuously capture ambient speech, run low-latency AI processing, and stream its voice response back to the earpieces so both voices (ambient and assistant) play simultaneously.
Project scope covers electronics, firmware, enclosure design, and a lean software stack. Expect to lean on MEMS mic beam-forming, Bluetooth LE Audio, low-power DSP, and on-device inference with TensorFlow Lite (or an equally efficient alternative). Cloud fallback for heavier language tasks is fine, provided end-to-end latency stays under 300 ms.
Acceptance criteria
• Speech-to-insight-to-ear latency ≤ 300 ms
• Wrist module diameter 38–40 mm with modular mounting plate
• Earpieces remain visually undetectable from one metre away
• Independent volume control for ambient and assistant audio streams
Any existing patents or standards that may affect the design should be flagged early, but otherwise the technical and mechanical approach is open to innovation.
Core Objectives:
1. Design and develop prototype PCB and electronics for:
Main Control Unit (Hub): 38–40mm circular device housing Bluetooth LE Audio (Nordic nRF5340), dual MEMS microphones, battery management, and control button with LED ring.
Invisible Earpieces: ≤12mm × 8mm in-ear air conduction receivers with balanced armature speakers, BLE Audio reception, and compact 60mAh LiPo battery.
2. Implement low-power Bluetooth LE Audio communication (LC3 codec, Auracast support).
3. Integrate and validate core audio pipeline**, focusing on high clarity and low latency (<50ms audio, <2s end-to-end).
4. Deliver basic mechanical blueprint/CAD enclosures** for prototype assembly (hub and earpieces).
Technical Focus Areas:
Microelectronics & PCB design (dense, low-power layouts for wearables)
Bluetooth LE Audio (Nordic nRF5340) integration and firmware architecture
Balanced armature driver & MEMS microphone integration
Battery and power management (LiPo, BQ25100/MCP73831 or similar)
Embedded firmware (Zephyr OS or FreeRTOS environment)
Prototyping and validation testing (connectivity, battery life, SNR, latency)
Deliverables:
1. PCB design files (Gerber + schematics) for hub and earpieces
2. Component selection and full Bill of Materials (BOM)
3. Basic firmware (Bluetooth LE Audio connection, LED/button control, audio path)
4. Preliminary enclosure design (3D model or technical drawing)
5. Documentation covering architecture, wiring, and testing plan
Preferred Experience:
Previous work with miniaturized wearables, hearing aids, or wireless earbuds
Proven experience with Nordic nRF5340 / LE Audio chipsets**
Familiarity with air conduction and balanced armature acoustics
Understanding of medical-grade or ergonomic wearable design**
Experience with low-power embedded systems and small-form-factor PCB design
Nice to Have:
Familiarity with beamforming audio processing and noise reduction DSP
Experience integrating AI/ML edge inference in embedded systems
Comfort with multi-component Bluetooth communication (hub ↔ smartphone ↔ earpieces)
Engagement Details:
Project Type: Fixed-price (with milestone structure for each prototype stage)
Scope: Hardware prototype through proof-of-concept testing.
If you have hands-on experience with miniature Bluetooth earbud or hearing-aid-level hardware, please include:
Examples of prior related work (photos, documentation, or project references)
Brief description of your development toolchain and design software (Altium, KiCad, SolidWorks, etc.)