Discovery Series Headsets

Cultural Backdrop

Headsets have seen a surge in popularity recently, not only because of the productivity they enable for users, but because of hands-free cell phone legislation that more than 40 U.S. states are considering, and a number have already passed. These new laws require drivers to use hands-free systems like headsets when talking on their phone and driving a car.

This surge in popularity has broadened the category of headset users beyond early adopters. Now, people across demographics, including those who care about fashion trends and style, are starting to show an interest in headset use.

Function

Plantronics, a headset manufacturer and 40-year innovator in communication accessories, took a unique approach to the design of the Discovery 655 and Discovery 665. With the combined expertise of a diverse industrial design team ? spanning disciplines such as automotive, mobile phone and accessories design ? Plantronics approached the design of the Discovery 655 and Discovery 665 as one would such high-end fashion accessories such as jewelry or eyewear.

The company?s evolving industrial design philosophy is driven by the ever-present challenge that Plantronics has addressed in bringing new products to market: how to combine superior sound technology with the fashion standards of apparel, jewelry or eyewear. This delicate and complex challenge is unique to headsets, as they represent the only technology device that people actually wear on their faces.

Plantronics? ultimate goal was to effectively marry the intricacies of superior sound technology with fashionable design and comfort ? and do so in a very small and elegant package. In 2005, when Plantronics introduced its inaugural Discovery line of headsets, it was the first in the industry to truly offer a product that married superior sound technology with fashionable design and comfort.

The Plantronics design team made the Discovery series extremely customizable, with many options for users. For example, the Discovery 665 is equipped with a sleek car charger and AudioIQ noise-cancelling capabilities for individuals who use their headset frequently in the car. The Discovery series is the first headset to come with a pocket AAA battery charger for users constantly on the go. All Discovery series headsets come with three sizes of gel ear tips so users can design a comfortable, tailored fit. The Discovery headsets also come with an optional ear loop to stabilize the unit ? a design unique to Plantronics. And all Discovery headsets can be worn in either the left or right ear, which is another distinctive design feature. These customizable design options allow Plantronics? products to comfortably fit 95 percent of consumer ears, an unmatched number in the industry.

Additionally, the Discovery series is one of the first lines to offer Plantronics? patented multipoint feature, which enables users to connect their headset with multiple devices, such as a personal cell phone and a laptop. As a result, consumers are increasingly demanding this feature and competitors are scrambling to offer it as well.

Form

Design was such a focus of the Discovery series because of the unique nature of the product ? headsets are essentially the only consumer electronic device worn on the face, so they must perfectly blend function and fashion. As such, Plantronics designers treated the human form as their canvas. The team used a Wall of Ears, built of more than 2,000 molds of various ear shapes and sizes, to test prototypes. Furthermore, Plantronics employed a team of ethnographers to conduct in-depth studies of various headset users to inform its product designs to reflect the real-world applications and requirements of users.

The Discovery series design has evolved over time and will continue to evolve in the future. At its initiation, Discovery units employed a soft, friendly design language. The team chose this as a contrast to the existing headsets on the market which had a very hard, machine-like look, which had caused many to shy away from wearing them.

As the design evolved, the team wanted to continue to convey a soft look, but also wanted to increase tension in the design to make it look chic and edgy. The design team took cues from trends in the auto and fashion industries to give the Discovery series a look that speaks of style and precision.

The Discovery series marks the first time that Plantronics designers experimented with an array of finishes, including plated pockets, glass bead embedded resin and eyewear frame materials, to give the product a high-end look. To enhance shelf-appeal and protection of the headset kit, the headsets? traditional aluminum case was upgraded. The fashion-centric experience is carried throughout the design ? It doesn?t just end with the product itself.

Environmental Sustainability

The Discovery series is manufactured at Plantronics? new state-of-the art manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China. The facility is the first building in China to receive a gold-level rating from the U.S. Green Building Council and a silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating. All products from the facility are manufactured in the most energy- and material-efficient manner possible. The Suzhou facility is also voluntarily compliant with the ISO 14001 environmental management standard.

The materials used in the Discovery series headsets are all RoHS-compliant, meaning that they do not include excessive levels of the six materials deemed hazardous in electronic products by the European Union, including lead, mercury and cadmium. Also, the Discovery series is compliant with Europe?s WEEE directive, which guarantees that all discarded products and packaging can be safely disposed of or recycled, thus eliminating a strain on landfills. As other countries around the world establish their own RoHS and WEEE guidelines, Plantronics is working to guarantee that all of its products comply.