Almost every has experienced the difficulty of getting an earbud to stay lodged in your ear, or trying out multiple brands and sizes to get a pair that feels comfortable and sits still.
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This problem could become one of the past with 3D-printed earbuds called Normals, which addresses the fact that everyone's ears are different with custom-made pairs. As The Verge notes, they're not the first custom-shaped earbuds on the market, but may be the most realistically affordable.
Other custom pairs will normally run you many hundreds of dollars, but 3D printing technology allows the company behind the product, Normal, to price the earbuds lower than its competition. The custom pairs are not only unique to others, but each earpiece is different for each of your ears--supporting the company's "one size fits none" tagline.
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The process for fitting you with custom earbuds is much simpler and less invasive than other alternatives, too, which usually require you to visit a doctor who squirts silicone gel into your ear. To create your custom pair of Normals, you simply take a few photos of your ear with an app and Normal will print and ship your item within 48 hours for $199.
Normal was founded by CEO Nikki Kaufman, who is also a founding member of inventions lab Quirky. She worked with Pantone to develop the striking colors available for Normals, which aren't offered for other products. The app can be used to select the color of the various sections of your pair including the housing, ear piece, and cord.
The combination of the cheaper price (a product of the app-centric purchasing option and the 3D printing technology) and custom fit and appearance make Normals a pretty unique product, though it remains to be seen (or heard, I suppose) how good the all-important audio quality is on the products. You can check out more details on Normal's site.
