It was part of a class assignment from Professor Roger Ball, who is also director of the Body Scan Lab. He devised a project that investigates the creative potential for using newly developed 3D ear scan technology, and pushes the boundaries of hearables design.

Their work was recently featured in Core77.com, an online design magazine, and Arts Thread, a British online design magazine..

As Ball said in the article, "I am bored by the current design approach of cramming as many sensors as possible into the ear cavity and calling that a design."

He continued, "When you take this sensor-driven approach, the designer's main challenge becomes creating the least ugly object possible. We flipped the process by starting with the user and hoping our investigations will inspire creativity in materials and sensor technology."

Along with the creative ear piece, students researched art movements rich in social commentary for inspiration in developing their own artist statements.

The ear art and the commentary initially were exhibited in Stubbins Gallery, at the College of Design.

See the full Core77 posting and Arts Thread posting, each with more images.