Neurable

Neurable

Integrating brain interface tech with everyday wearables.

Overview

Turning breakthrough Brain Computer Interface (BCI) neurotechnology into an everyday, wearable product.

Boston-based startup Neurable teamed with Fresco to design and develop the Enten, their first consumer product: BCI headphones that monitor brain activity to reveal patterns like focus and distraction. The fully de-risked design led to a pivotal partnership with Master & Dynamic, and we continue supporting Neurable's product development as they expand their technology's reach.

Client

Neurable

Services

Design Innovation
,
Industrial Design
,
Human Factors & Ergonomics
,
In-House Prototyping
,
Product Development
,

Industry

Neurotechnology
,
Consumer Electronics
,

“Bringing BCI technology to millions of people means turning it into a product people value. Fresco has been a true partner through that entire journey. They helped us turn our vision into something tangible, to show investors what Neurable could become. That was pivotal in helping us open doors to funding. And once that funding came in, they knew how to build on the promise we had made.”

Ramses Alcaide

CEO, Neurable

Timeline showing the development stages of a headphone from research prototype with a head-worn device, schematic architecture, early black headphone design, working prototype, appearance model, final fresco design, to the final Master & Dynamic Partnership Headphone in silver and black.
Hands using a red and black digital multimeter to measure resistance on a black and beige striped fabric ring, displaying 0.7 ohms on the screen.
Black over-ear headphones with padded headband and ear cups resting on a white surface, featuring buttons and text indicating active noise cancelling and brain-computer interface.
Close-up of a young man wearing olive green over-ear headphones and an olive green collared shirt, with one hand adjusting the headphones.

“Their creativity, efficiency, and dependability greatly contributed to the success of the challenging task of integrating BCI into a consumer product.”

Portrait of a smiling man with red hair, a red beard, and wearing a blue button-up shirt against a dark background.

Jamie Alders

vice president of product, neurable

Three pairs of over-ear headphones in black, white, and olive green displayed on minimalist grey pedestals against a light grey background.

Our Process

We worked closely with Neurable's engineering team to design and develop the Enten, their first consumer product. Together, we shaped the headphones' ergonomics, comfort, and form, balancing the technical demands of EEG sensors with the everyday feel of a product people would actually want to wear.

Designing consumer appeal

When you think of BCI, do you picture intricate monitoring devices, headcaps, and wires? Neurable’s vision aimed to overcome those associations. We designed the BCI headphones to look, appear, and behave like a premium product, tackling numerous design and engineering challenges to seamlessly integrate the technology into a desirable form factor.

Concept sketches of over-ear headphones showing side and front views on a head with details of ear cup shape, cushioning, and adjustable headband components.

Design for personas

For this novel technology, we began by understanding its application and the anticipated user environments. From user personas, we tailored our design choices in size, shape, material, color, and visual segmentation, considering a dense market of visual trends.

Conductive fabric design & development

We embarked on an R&D journey to research, design, spec, source, and manufacture selectively-conductive 3D knitted fabrics. By experimenting with weave patterns and emphasizing ear comfort, we optimized the design for EEG channel skin contact and internal board connection. The final knit product conformed to 3D ear cushions, ensuring aesthetics, comfort, acoustics, and sensor performance.

Two photos showing a black fabric sleeve with white knit patterns held and measured by a caliper. Left photo shows the fabric laid flat with the inner edge marked in blue on top and the outer edge marked in red at the bottom. The inside and outside of the cushion areas are labeled with dotted line boxes. Right photo shows the sleeve held upright with the inner edge outlined in blue on the right side and the outer edge outlined in red on the left side, both with corresponding arrows and labels.

Engineering prototypes
for testing

Through several engineering prototype iterations, we fine-tuned the integration of BCI technology into the Enten headphones, ensuring manufacturability. Fresco produced both individual and small-batch prototypes for design validation, internal review, and user testing.

Disassembled black over-ear headphones parts laid out on a wooden surface, including ear cushions, headbands, speaker drivers labeled L and R, outer casings with 'Neurable' branding, and internal components.

Appearance models for funding
& design excitement

During the design phase, we built high-craft appearance models for early product photography, marketing campaigns, stakeholder alignment, investor pitches, and to refine color and material selections.

Woman with long black hair wearing large white over-ear headphones against a plain gray background, shown in profile view.

Expanding to mission critical cognitive performance

Our collaboration with Neurable continues beyond headphones. Together, we explore how BCI technology translates into new form factors and applications across defense, helmets, hearing protection, and other industries, bringing the technology into new environments and use cases.

Two tactical helmets side by side on a black background, one solid tan and the other partially transparent black showing internal electronic components with blue illuminated details.