Convertible Headphones

Convertible Headphones

Raphael Edwards

These earphones that can inflate into bigger headphones allows the user to carry around a pair of headphones in their pocket and experience two different ways of listening to music, podcasts or watching videos. Drawing on soft robotics technology, the headphones rely on a small air pump that can inflate silicone rings around the earbuds; the rings become the ear pads from typical headphones. To make the silicone rings, creating a mold that allowed an air chamber inside the ring was a challenge. A three-part mold was used to create the rings and fabric was attached inside the ring to close out the air chamber. To use Convertible Headphones as earbuds, the user simply lets the air out and places their earbuds in their ears. To use them as headphones, the user inflates the rings with a small syringe enough so that the headphones comfortably fits their ears.