A new innovation is aiming to redefine earbuds – not just in function but in form. Meet The PIN, a pair of wireless buds handcrafted from real wood and packed with AI-powered features including real-time translation, virtual assistants and a sleep aid. These sustainable buds are also affordable, starting at US$134.
And it's no surprise they've been a hit with Kickstarter backers – the campaign was fully funded within two hours, and after a week had nearly 500 pledges.
The PIN is the work of Sudeshna Naik, a UC Berkeley Development Engineering graduate who studied sustainable product development.
“At Berkeley, I learned a hard truth: Why so many sustainable products fail," Naik said. "The lesson was clear: If people feel they’re compromising on performance, they won’t choose sustainability. The PIN was designed to change that.”
The earbuds are built with housings made from sustainably sourced walnut, cherry and bamboo materials and contain recycled materials. Each pair is slightly different thanks to the grain of the material and is finished with a water‑resistant sealant for all-weather durability.
When paired with a custom app, features include customizable EQ profiles, voice-activated AI assistance, location tracking for misplaced earbuds and real-time translation of more than 150 languages.
The companion app also offers text translation, using the phone’s camera to capture signs or menus in more than 20 languages and then playing the results back through the earbuds.
While the package is stunning, the earbuds have also been engineered to offer crisp, immersive sound. They support AAC audio codec (like high-end JBL/Bose), and feature Dual-ENC (environmental noise cancellation) for clear calls even in noisy environments. A touch sensor on the back of the buds controls audio (play/pause, skip, volume), handles calls and activates features like translation mode.
The makers claim a battery life of up to eight hours per charge, and 32 for the case. A 15-minute charge, however, reportedly provides three additional hours of use. The charging case connects with the standard USB-C, and the app is compatible with both iOS and Android. It's also worth noting that there are no subscription fees for the app. (If you're app-averse, the core functions of the earbuds will still work fine without it.)
The buds weigh around 34 g, which makes them lighter than standard plastic models and are designed for all-day wear – whether you're working out or reading in bed.
Putting their sustainability money where their mouth is, the makers have also pledged to plant a tree for every 10 units sold. As of writing, that's 78 trees and counting …
The PIN comes in three different models – lighter Bamboo, the richer Cherry and the dark Walnut – and are available from $134 (Labor Day sale price), a discount of $46.
Aside from the usual bundles and different tiers, the PIN also has a top-end pledge – for $399, you can get your name or initials, or anything really (up to six characters) engraved in gold on the case. Considering shipping is expected by October, this would make a pretty special Christmas gift.
The PIN will also be shipped worldwide. You can read more about the products on the company's website.
Source: Kickstarter
New Atlas may earn commission from purchases made via links
