From a kitchen-table invention by Erie husband-and-wife founders Wei-Shin Lai, MD, and Jason Wolfe, AcousticSheep makes comfortable headphones built into headbands for sleeping and exercise. Founded in 2007, the company manufactures and sells its SleepPhones and RunPhones brands from Erie, where Lai and Wolfe still own and run the business with a 30-person team serving customers around the world. Its patented designs have earned multiple Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Awards, including for SleepPhones Wireless and RunPhones Wireless.
Grado LabsFrom a Brooklyn building owned by the Grado family since 1918, Grado Labs has made headphones and phono cartridges since 1953. Founded by Audio Hall of Famer Joseph Grado, the family-owned American company is known for inventing the moving-coil stereo cartridge and developing the first true high-end dynamic headphone. Wired headphones are still assembled in Brooklyn, where a third generation of Grados is learning the business.BROOKLYN, NY
Dome Audio IncEstablished in January 2018, east coast-based Dome Audio Inc. designs distinctive audio-wear headphones, including its D4 bone-conduction model. Its patented system combines open- and closed-ear listening with interchangeable Dome Covers that serve both as noise-isolating components and changeable fashion elements.
SensGardSensGard makes lightweight, non-electronic hearing protection built around patented Zwislocki Ear Muffler (ZEM) acoustic-chamber technology, redirecting harmful sound while preserving speech and awareness. The company’s work grew from auditory scientist Dr. Jozef Zwislocki’s research at Harvard, with the SG-31 later receiving the 2009 Frost & Sullivan North American Product Innovation Award. SensGard products are made in the USA as a compact alternative to foam plugs and bulky earmuffs.EAST ROCHESTER, NY
ZenBudZenBud is a wellness technology company founded by NeurGear that makes a lightweight headset using focused ultrasound and vibro-sensory neuromodulation to support relaxation, focus, and sleep readiness. The company grew from its founders’ concern about everyday stress and brings together neuroscience, product design, and human-performance expertise to make short, non-invasive sessions easy to use. Its device is CE compliant and manufactured to medical-grade specifications.ROCHESTER, NY