Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Get your ears 3D scanned for these earbuds to improve sleep and reduce stress

Smart earbuds are catching on quick: from Bragi’s Dash to Doppler Labs’ Here. And more and more of these “hearables” are packed to the eardrum with biometric sensors, but none of them will fit you as well as the Aware.

Related: Get a better nights rest with these sleeping accessories

Recommended Videos

United Sciences, a company we reported on before for its non-invasive 3D-scanning technology, has put its research to use for a commercial product. You’ll now be able to get your ears scanned to have your earbuds sit perfectly in your ear. But that’s not all the Aware is good for — it can obtain biometric data, including brain waves via an electro-encephalogram (EEG), and like most smartwatches, Aware can measure your steps, heart rate, distance traveled, and calories burned.

The earbuds connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth, and you’ll be able to view all this diverse, recorded data through the Aware app. Recording your brain waves, for example, can help you focus on the task at hand. The sensor tracks the brain’s beta waves, and the earbuds will make an audible alert to warn you when your concentration is breaking.

“We should unlock a lot of new secrets about the brain once we get consumers in the wild tracking their day-to-day activities.”

It works similarly for stress by tracking the brain’s beta waves that are related to stress, as well as heart rate variability. The app can display that data in real-time, which can subsequently show you what’s triggering your troubled mind and heart.

Aware can also track the brain’s alpha and theta waves, which can be useful when you’re trying to relax. The app displays a triangle, with the left side representing focused consciousness, the right side representing stress, and the tip of the triangle representing relaxation. United Sciences believes by helping you see this data in real-time, Aware will be able to help you relax throughout the day.

But let’s not forget about those delta waves — they correlate to sleep, which Aware can track as well. Monitoring these waves overnight can help you identify what issues you have when sleeping, such as if you’re grinding your teeth, if you’re snoring, and when restlessness in your sleep occurs.

aware app
Image used with permission by copyright holder

“We should unlock a lot of new secrets about the brain once we get consumers in the wild tracking their day-to-day activities,” Sam Kellett, Jr., CEO of United Sciences, told Digital Trends.

And of course, the company claims the sound emitted through the earbuds to be “superior,” thanks to the custom fit of the hearable. The placement and angle of each speaker can suit the acoustics of each ear, and there’s also a natural noise cancellation effect that occurs thanks to the perfect fit. We’ll have to get our hands on Aware to see if the audio quality is par for the course or better.

With 16GB of internal storage, Aware can log data without Bluetooth, and can store music. It has variable battery life, thanks to a 220mAh capacity. If you’re just listening to music, it can survive for five to six hours; if you’re listening to music and recording biometrics, then it will only last for two to three hours; and if you’re tracking sleep, it can last for 10 to 12 hours. Aware also has wired auxiliary audio support, so you can always plug it in to continue listening to music.

The earbuds also support gesture controls: Tapping once on the earbud will allow you to play or pause music, or answer a phone call. Double tapping can send a call to voicemail, or turn situational awareness on or off — this helps you identify sounds around you. The earbuds also have a pod connecting them together, which gives you access to volume and power buttons.

Also read: Motorola unveils fully wireless earbuds at MWC with the new Verve Ones

So how exactly will you be able to get your ear scanned through a Kickstarter campaign? The company is working with malls and various locations around the world to offer a “scanning” event, where buyers can head over to get their ears 3D scanned. The Aware earbuds will then be shipped to them within a few days, sometime in June. So far, the Kickstarter names 24 countries they will hold these events in, with quite a number of cities included.

United Sciences is offering three variants for backers: a $99 version will just get you a custom fit, Bluetooth, and a microphone — perfect for those who are not interested in the biometric scanners. The scanning kicks in with the $249 variant, along with situational awareness, and mobile app integration. For $500, you can get the $249 variant as well as the software development kit, in case you wanted to integrate the data from Aware into your app.

There’s no doubt the devices will make their way into consumer hands — the company has already surpassed its $100,000 goal, with 27 days left to go.

Julian Chokkattu
Former Mobile and Wearables Editor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more