Split – The Bite-Controlled Wireless Headphone-Sized MP3 Player

While wireless headphones tend to connect via something like Bluetooth, a new set of headphones from Greenwing Audio – dubbed split – is set to change that. Split is an MP3 player and set of headphones rolled into one. Pictured above the Split looks like nothing more than a pair of earbuds but in reality it is much more complex than that.

Firstly inside that tiny earbud is a small circuit board with a custom battery, memory chip, processor, accelerometer and high precision crystal clocks. The two earphones which start off magnetically attached begin to play synchonised audio when split. The earphones exchange a short near field signal when the track or volume is changed apparently reducing the radiation exposed to your head by 1000 times. The tracks and songs are changed by a biting motion where the onboard accelerometer detects the pattern of the bite – one bite skips the track and another bite changes the volume. Tapping the right earphone locks the player to avoid changes when you are eating or chewing gum. Split has a custom USB cable for recharging the onboard battery and transferring music to the onboard storage, it connects via USB 2.0.

The specifications of the Split are as follows:

• Processor: ARM Cortex M3 32bit

• Memory: NOR Flash, capacity from 64MB to 256MB

• Max Audio Output Power per channel: 20mW

• Audio Amplifier SNR: 100dB

• Speaker Type: 6mm Neodymium Dynamic Driver

• Frequency response: 20Hz-20,000Hz

• Sensitivity (1kHz): 105dB/mW

• Speaker impedance 16 Ohm

The project is currently starting up on Kickstarter and it is going to cost a hefty $155 to get your hands on a pair of these new headphones. If you want to check the new technology out then you can do so right here.

Image courtesy of Greenwing Audio (KickStarter)