New OpenEarable 2.0.1 hardware available
now!
True wireless audio.
Biosensing.
Tiny form factor.
OpenEarable is the world's first fully open-source AI platform for ear-based sensing applications with true wireless audio. Packed with an unprecedented array of high-precision sensors, OpenEarable redefines what's possible in wearable tech. Designed for both development and research applications, OpenEarable is modular, reconfigurable, and built for the future.
Book Live Demo
Free • No commitment
Engineered with precision.
9-Axis Inertial Measurement Unit
Optimized for performance.
OPEN
EXTENSIBLE
EASY‑TO‑USE
TRUSTED BY COMPANIES AND RESEARCH LABS WORLDWIDE
… and many more.
Latest Research
Check out the papers below for the latest research published with OpenEarable. Want your project or paper to be featured here? Just send us a message!
One platform
Limitless opportunities
True Wireless Earphones (via LEAudio)
Infra- to Ultrasound Sensing
Cardiac Activity (HR, HRV, SpO2)
Optical Skin Temperature Sensing
Body Sound (Bone-Con. & In-Ear Audio)
Body, Ear Canal, & Head Motion
Ear Canal Deformations via Pressure
edge-ml.org
no-code machine
learning
Which applications will
YOU develop?
The most sensors in earphones. EVER!
OpenEarable features two microphones capable of capturing both infrasound
and
ultrasound audio signals. One microphone is oriented inward toward the ear canal, while
the
other faces outward. By default, it supports audio streaming to a connected device at up
to
48 kHz and recording to the internal microSD card at up to 62.5 kHz.
Potential Applications
OpenEarable includes a 3-axis accelerometer that also functions as a bone-conduction
microphone.
Positioned at the entrance of the ear canal, it can also capture ear canal deformations.
Recording is supported at up to 3.2 kHz for audio signals, making it ideal for
detecting voice signals transmitted via bone conduction.
Potential Applications
The earpiece features a pulse oximeter with red, infrared, and green PPG sensors to
detect blood volume changes via light absorbance. This enables real-time heart rate and
blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring. By default, OpenEarable supports streaming PPG data at
up
to 400 Hz via BLE and recording at up to 800 Hz. The calculated metrics can be streamed
and recorded at up to 10 Hz.
Potential Applications
The 9-axis inertial measurement unit consists of an accelerometer, a
gyroscope, and a magnetometer. Per default, OpenEarable allows streaming IMU data in
real-time at up to 120 Hz via BLE and recording to the internal SD card at up to 800 Hz.
Potential Applications
OpenEarable is equipped with a factory calibrated, medical grade optical temperature
sensor that can measure skin
temperature with an high accuracy. The data can be streamed via BLE or recorded to the
internal SD card at
up to 64 Hz.
Potential Applications
OpenEarable has an inward facing pressure sensor that makes it possible to
measure pressure changes in the sealed ear canal. It possible to get precise measuremnts
up to 120 Hz streamed via BLE and up to 200 Hz
recorded to the internal SD card.
Potential Applications
HCI Interfaces
The dynamic driver speaker inside OpenEarable supports playing audio via LE Audio
from a connected
device
OpenEarable has an RGB color LED under the button.
The
color can be freely configured via BLE.
The button on OpenEarable can be used to trigger events that are notified
via BLE.
More Cores. More Power. More Possibilities.
Nordic nRF5340 - APPLICATION AND NETWORK
Dual-Core Arm Cortex-M33
Analog Devices ADAU1860 - AUDIO PROCESSING
FastDSP Core & Tensilica HiFi 3z DSP Core
Designed for Expansion. Built for Innovation.
ARCHITECTURE
DEBUGGING AND EXTENSION
OpenEarable is designed with modularity and expandability in mind, allowing researchers,
developers, and enthusiasts to push the boundaries of ear-based computing. Its open hardware
and software architecture enables debugging, sensor integration, and custom extensions.
- Debugging: Using a breakout board, the 14-pin header connector on OpenEarable can be placed onto a standard 2.54 mm header connector. This allows for programming and debugging of the processing and DSP cores of OpenEarable.
- Expansion: The 14-pin header connector offers 1.8V, 3.3V, GPIO, I2C, PDM, SoftSerial, SoftSPI, and SWD. The 12-pin FPC connector (BM46B-12DS) exposes 1.8V, 3.3V, GND, GPIO, I2C, PDM, Speaker_OUT, SoftSerial, and SoftSPI.
- Storage: On the bottom side, next to the USB-C port, a microSD card slot is available for recording sensor data locally.
Open-Source. Free to Use. Always.
TOOLS, LIBRARIES & APPS
Apps
OpenEarable is not just a wearable device; it's a versatile
platform that brings a myriad of
applications. That's why we have developed example applications showcasing the potential of
OpenEarable:
Apps
OpenEarable is not just a wearable device; it's a versatile
platform that brings a myriad of
applications. That's why we have developed example applications showcasing the potential of
OpenEarable:
- Recorder: Capture and analyze data from your OpenEarable device.
- Posture Tracker: Get real-time feedback and improve your posture.
- Heart Tracker: Basic example implementation to measure heart rate.
- Jump Rope Counter*: Accurately count your rope skips during workouts.
- Powernapping*: Monitor the quality of your rest with automatic sleep detection.
RESOURCES
OpenEarable is available as a fully-assembled third-party developer starter
kit that includes everything you need to get started. You can also use
our open-source design files.
Developer Starter Kit
The OpenEarable 2.0.1 starter kit includes everything that you need to get started with developing ear-based sensing applications. The OpenEarable starter kit includes:- OpenEarable (one pair, left and right)
- 18 × silicone eartips (6 × S, 6 × M, 6 × L)
- 2 × wing tip
- 1 × dual-end USB-C charging cable
- 1 × microSD card reader
- 1 × travel case (small white box)
- 1 × kit case (large black box)
- 1 × programming adapter (2.54mm Dupon)
- 1 × JTAG (2x10, 2.54mm) to SWD (2x5, 1.27mm) adapter
- 10 × jumper wire (DuPont) female to female
Design Files
OpenEarable is completely open-source. You can freely change and adapt it to your needs.
DEVICE COMPARISON
DOCUMENTATION
Cheat Sheet
The OpenEarable cheat sheet contains all the basic information you need to get started quickly.Data Processing
You can either record your data via the OpenWearable app as CSV files, or on the on-board microSD card slot in the *.oe file format ( download sample file). For *.oe files, use the Open Wearable Python library to parse recordings directly into analysis-ready data frames:pip install open-wearables
Quick start with
SensorDataset:
from open_wearables import SensorDataset
dataset = SensorDataset("recording.oe")
df = dataset.get_dataframe()
imu_df = dataset.imu.df
audio_df = dataset.get_audio_dataframe()Programming
Comprehensive documentation on how to program the OpenEarable firmware is availabe on GitHub.Frequently Asked Questions
Which smartphones support LEAudio?Wireless audio streaming with OpenEarable requires an Android smartphone with LEAudio support (e.g. Google Pixel, >= Pixel 9 recommended). iOS currently does not support LEAudio.
Is it necessary to program OpenEarable before I can use it?
If you purchase the starter kit, OpenEarable comes pre-flashed with the latest firmware so you can immediatly use it with the dashboard, app and libraries. On a new OpenEarable, you will have to first flash the bootloader and firmware using a J-Link debugger. The firmware can be updated via J-Link and the 14-pin header connector.
How long does the battery last and how long does it charge?
The exact battery life will depend on your usage patterns, such as the frequency of data streaming and audio playback. Charging the battery to full capacity takes about 45 mins.
Are there any IP ratings for OpenEarable (e.g., water or dust resistance)?
OpenEarable does not have an IP rating. It's recommended to avoid exposure to water and dust to prevent damage to the electronic components.
What is the range of BLE connectivity for OpenEarable?
The BLE range for OpenEarable is consistent with standard BLE class 2 devices, which is typically up to 10 meters (33 feet) without obstructions.
How customizable is the firmware, and can it be updated wirelessly?
Our firmware is highly customizable and open source (Github repository). Firmware updates can be conducted through a wired connection. OpenEarable also supports wireless FOTA updates (experimental feature).
I am having issues with connecting my OpenEarable. What can I do?
Download a BLE Scanner for iOS or Android (e.g., nRF Connect for Mobile) and make sure you can find your OpenEarable. If you can find it, there is an issue with the device that you are using to connect to OpenEarable. Are you using the latest Chrome version? Does the OpenEarable app have the required permissions? Is the Bluetooth driver of your device updated?
Why can I not find any recordings on my microSD card?
In order to be compatible with OpenEarable the microSD card needs to be formatted as exFAT. Also we recommend to use the MICRON MTSD064AMC8MS-1WT microSD card, because other microSD cards can product electrical artifacts in microphone recordings.
What is the frequency response of OpenEarable's microphone and dynamic driver speaker?
The frequency response of the microphone can be found in the datasheet on page 6 and 7. The dynamic driver speaker characterization is available here.
CITING
OpenEarable has been published as a scientific research paper. If you are using OpenEarable in your work, please cite it as follows.PREVIOUS AND OTHER VERSIONS
The resources of previous versions and adaptations of the OpenEarable are available below.PRESS KIT
If you want to report about OpenEarable, you can use the material from our press kit. Please make sure to credit OpenEarable and the "Karlsruhe Institute of Technology" as the source for all materials (CC BY-ND).
OpenWearables