Noopl is an iPhone accessory that helps you hear clearly in noisy places so you can connect better with those around you [1]. Noopl looks like one of the more interesting hardware startups to come out of CES day one. The Sacramento-based company has designed an accessory that it says can help drown out background noise for users in a loud environment.

The little accessory sports a Lightning plug (it’s currently iOS only), which connects to the bottom of an iPhone. The little dongle features a trio of microphones, coupled with an audio signal processor designed to reduce background noise [2].

Figure 1. The Noopl 2.0

Figure 1 shows Automatic Mode directs your hearing as you turn your head, while Manual Mode allows you to direct your hearing with your finger on your phone screen. Narrow/wide/omni controls allow you to direct your hearing toward one person or the entire table. Further customize your listening experience with bass and treble controls.

Head steering information is passed to Noopl every few milliseconds via AirPods Pro® or Beats Fit Pro and the user’s iPhone, allowing the listener to switch between different voices almost instantaneously. The app also recognizes whether the phone is in the user’s hand or resting on a surface, in order to direct and optimize listening performance. [3]

Noopl is right for you if:

• You aren’t yet ready for hearing aids, but have trouble hearing conversation at restaurants, meetings or family gatherings
• You already use MFi hearing aids or cochlear implants and want an extra layer of hearing assistance for loud environments

How It Works

Simply plug Noopl into the bottom of your phone, put on your AirPods Pro or Beats Fit Pro, and turn your head toward whoever’s speaking to hear them more clearly. If using with MFi hearing aids or cochlear implants, use your finger in our app to manually indicate in which direction you want to focus your hearing.

The Details

• Apple MFi Certified
• AirPods Pro or Beats Fit Pro (sold separately) dynamic head tracking focuses Noopl on what you want to hear
• Multi-microphone directional signal processing dramatically reduces background noise
• USB audio via Lightning connector
• Noopl Listen app allows manual steering and control
• Speech processing featuring Chatable AI 2.0
• Powered by the Lightning port
• One-year warranty
• In the box: Noopl, spacers for a secure fit, carrying case

System Requirements

• iPhone 7 or newer
• iOS 14 or higher
• Compatible headphones1 and hearing aids2:
  • AirPods Pro
  • Beats Fit Pro
  • Powerbeats Pro (manual mode only)
  • Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing devices [4]

References:

1. https://noopl.com/
2. https://techcrunch.com/2021/01/11/noopls-iphone-plug-in-is-designed-to-improve-hearing-in-noisy-environments/
3. https://noopl.com/pages/how-it-works
4. https://noopl.com/products/noopl

Cite this article:

Thanusri swetha J (2021), The Noopl 2.0, pp. 31