hearO speaker

A self-initiated studio project, hearO emerged from a drive to share the potential that exists in materials – both old and new – and create a compelling, commercially viable icon of reuse.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of championship tennis balls are retired, but hearO saw that these small pieces of tennis history had more to offer. Our task was to design a truly wireless speaker experience that delivered the best possible audio while taking full advantage of the tennis ball ergonomics. Sustainability and reinvention were at the heart of hearO’s vision, and this ethos informed our decision-making at every stage of the project – from the concept sketches all the way to the reusable packaging.

The portable speaker developed into an ideal concept because a tennis ball is a ready-made protective case, and the skin controls vibration while still allowing for warm, rich sound projection.

Project details:

Client:
Rogue projects

Location:
London, Paris, Beijing

Categories:
Concept, Design, Manufacturing

Timeline:
2016 — 2021

Website:
www.hearospeaker.com

We examined a sample study of tennis balls across brands to understand the design parameters, and used what we learned to develop a universal console that hearO could apply to any championship tennis ball. Leading an expert team of cutting and audio tech specialists, we explored a variety of different shapes and techniques, ultimately opting for a slanted design that preserves 75% of the original tennis ball and projects sound directly towards listeners.

It took several prototypes to find the optimal design for the device electronics. Our final iteration streamlined functionality to a single button, and included a Fibonacci pattern speaker grill for enhanced sound projection. The slanted tennis ball shape required two unique cuts. To achieve them, we introduced our own 3D-printed nylon cutting guides and built a two-tonne industrial hydraulic press, designed and calibrated specifically to cut tennis balls.

hearO cuts each tennis ball in Northampton using the purpose-built cutting press. The first cut compresses the ball onto a circular blade, while the second cut uses the 3D-printed cutting guide to define the precise angle – and the cutting beds enable hearO to cut 20 tennis balls at a time at a programmed pressure. The product is then assembled and packaged in London, with each tennis ball press-fit onto the hearO speaker console.