Here at Gizmodo Australia, we see a lot of interesting tech, from super impressive phone cameras to quirky sound systems, but we’ve never seen something quite like the DearBuds SE ear dehumidifier.

While ear dryers have existed for quite a while, this is the first ear dehumidifier we’ve ever seen. The listing on Kickstarter, launched last month, proudly touts that it’s the world’s first wearable ear dehumidifier.

The project has been in development since 2020, and has received $86,824 in Kickstarter backing. 

On top of that, the project was actually made an honoree at the CES 2022 innovation awards, and has been accelerated by Samsung.

And, honestly, it really does seem like it’s onto something.

The argument is that ear humidity has been made higher by earphones and headphones. Using these types of products, especially while working out, contributes to ear humidity, as does swimming and using earplugs.

When our ears are too humid inside, we feel itchiness, a buildup of heat and sweat. This also leads to complications with your earwax.

So, solutions? Of course, natural solutions like professional ear cleaning to remove wax, or allowing your ears to dry and cool in a pleasant environment… But is there a place for tech to help?

That’s what the DearBuds SE seeks to solve.

“It’s time to take better, smarter care of our ears!” the Kickstarter listing proclaims.

“No more using hair dryers and cotton swabs to dry out your ears!

“Just place DearBuds in your ear, and say goodbye to ear humidity!”

While the DearBuds look very much like earphones themselves, it’s not a sound device: they’re an ear care device. Sold as a single gadget that you swap between both ears, the intention is to remove “moisture, sweat, and water from your ear in less than three minutes, optimising the humidity of your ear canal”.

Sensors in the device detect the humidity levels of your ear, and depending on the conditions identified, warm air is blown in and humid air is ventilated out. The loudest the device gets is 33dB.

A warm red light evaporates water in the ear. There’s even an app for tracking the progress of the gadget, factoring in local humidity.

Back in 2021, the project had to cancel its campaign, citing global semiconductor supply shortages (this was, and still is, causing problems across many industries). The listing claims that the problem has been resolved and that the shipping stage is fast approaching.

The project is still in the “Kickstarter” phase of its timeline, with a plan to kick off validation testing and mass production sometime before September. Shipping is planned for October.

If you pledge $94, you’ll score yourself one DearBuds (yes, that is grammatically correct, you get a single DearBuds, not a pair). Pledges go all the way up to $723, including a bunch of extras.

Please, blow out my ears.

Zachariah Kelly is a writer at Gizmodo Australia.

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