Like many world-changing events, new applications of existing technology can lead to some interesting concepts. For example, the Covid-19 pandemic led to the creation of masks with audio components. The controversial Razer Zephyr had external speakers, will.i.am’s Xupermask Honeywell collaboration had headphones, and of course, there was Dyson’s air-purifying mask-headphone combo. Once the pandemic and lockdown finally ended, the idea of portable air filtration devices with audio listening devices died out.
Ible, a Taiwanese company founded in 2015, is reviving that idea. The company is currently known for its Airvida line of wearable air purifiers that look like necklaces. During CES 2025, Ible revealed its upcoming E1 and T1 wireless earbuds that also double as air purifiers. Users can listen to music and take phone calls while the purifiers claim to provide something akin to an invisible face mask.
Although I couldn’t personally test the hardware, I visited the booth and spoke with the company, and both audio devices offer a different vision of the future in which the best headphones are also health devices, which is increasingly becoming a stuff.
The Airvida E1 is a pair of neckband headphones that combines 25 dB noise cancellation with an ionic air purifier. Weighing just 42 grams, the device connects via Bluetooth and offers eight hours of battery life with audio or more than 30 without audio. The device charges using a magnetic charging cable. When it comes to sound quality, the E1 uses a 13mm dynamic driver and multi-layer composite diaphragm for rich sound and robust bass.
Interestingly, it can also be used as a desktop purifier when used with a stand. The Airvida Connect app offers real-time air quality updates, pollen alerts and adjustable ion levels. This device claims to achieve 99.9% removal of PM2.5 particles and pollen allergens, along with 99.7% efficacy against influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 viruses.
Meanwhile, the T1 appears to be the world’s first wearable ionic air purifier integrated with noise-canceling headphones. Like the T1, the audio device hopes to provide 99.9% protection against air pollutants, allergens and viruses, while offering superior sound quality with active noise cancellation and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.
Weighing in at 9.5g per earbud, they’re certainly heavy (something like the AirPods Pro 2 earbuds weigh around 5g) and battery life is pretty low, with five hours of use (or around 24 hours for air purification). The USB rechargeable charging case offers three charges for long-lasting use.
Still, 9.5g is light (and small) for an air purifying solution, so we can forgive that. By generating more than 30 million negative ions per cm³, it promises to effectively clean the air around the facial area. It comes with replacement ear pads in three sizes and two color options: space black and pearl white. Aimed to be useful in various environments, it operates efficiently in temperatures from 0°C to 40°C and relative humidity from 30 to 85%.
Both the E1 and T1 headphones combine innovative air purification with advanced audio technology, and I hope they can live up to their claims and prove useful for people with respiratory problems, allergies, or those trying to avoid germs, and that The music can also hold up. What’s the point of breathing more clearly if the sound doesn’t make you want to sing some tunes?
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