As with many world-changing events, new applications of existing technologies can give rise to interesting concepts. For example, the Covid-19 pandemic led to the creation of masks with audio components. The controversial Razer Zephyr had external speakers, William’s Xupermask Honeywell collaboration had headphones, and of course there was Dyson’s air-purifying mask-headphone combo. Once the pandemic and lockdown ended, the idea of portable air filtration devices with audio listening devices sort of died out.
This idea is being revived by Ible, a Taiwanese company established in 2015. The company is currently known for its Airvida line of wearable air purifiers that resemble necklaces. At CES 2025, Ible revealed its upcoming E1 and T1 wireless earbuds that double as air purifiers. Users can listen to music and take phone calls while the purifiers claim to provide something akin to an invisible mask.
Although I wasn’t able to personally test the hardware, I visited the booth and spoke to the company. These two audio devices offer a different glimpse into the future, where the best headphones are also health devices, which is increasingly becoming a thing.
The Airvida E1 is a pair of neckband headphones that fuses 25dB noise cancellation with an ionic air purifier. Weighing just 42 grams, the device is connected via Bluetooth and offers eight hours of battery life with audio or more than 30 hours without audio. The device is charged via a magnetic charging cable. When it comes to sound quality, the E1 uses a 13mm dynamic driver and multi-layer composite diaphragm for rich sound and robust bass.
Interestingly, it can also be used as a desktop purifier when used with a stand. The Airvida Connect app offers real-time air quality updates, pollen alerts and adjustable ion levels. This device claims to achieve 99.9% removal of PM2.5 particles and pollen allergens, as well as 99.7% effectiveness against influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 viruses.
Meanwhile, the T1 appears to be the world’s first wearable ionic air purifier integrated with noise-canceling headphones. Like the T1, the audio device hopes to offer 99.9% protection against air pollutants, allergens and viruses, while offering premium sound quality with active noise cancellation and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.
Weighing 9.5g per earbud, they’re certainly heavy – something like the AirPods Pro 2 earbuds weigh around 5g – and battery life is quite poor at five hours of use (or around 24 hours for air purification). USB rechargeable charging case offers three charges for extended use.
Still, 9.5g is light (and small) for an air purification solution, so we can forgive it. Generating over 30 million negative ions per cm³, it promises to effectively purify the air around the facial area. It comes with replacement earbud tips in three sizes and two color options: Space Black and Pearl White. Aimed to be usable in various environments, it operates effectively in temperatures of 0°C to 40°C and relative humidity of 30 to 85%.
The E1 and T1 headphones combine innovative air purification with advanced audio technology, and I hope they can live up to their claims and prove useful for people with respiratory problems, allergies or those who are trying to avoid germs – and that music can hold up too. What’s the point of breathing more clearly if the sound doesn’t make you want to listen to a few songs?
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