Hearing tech startup Legato announced Thursday that its flagship AI-based hearing glasses are now available for purchase. The glasses, called Legato Frames, incorporate the company’s patented hearing aid technology into the arms of the glasses frames. Starting at $999, Legato Frames are designed for adults with up to moderate hearing loss.
The glasses stem from the startup’s goal of making hearing care more accessible by removing the cost, convenience and stigma associated with traditional hearing aids.
Unlike traditional hearing aids, which often use direct microphones to focus on sounds from a particular direction and struggle in noisy environments, Legato takes a different approach. Its AI-powered system distinguishes voices from background noise and amplifies voices while reducing unwanted sounds.
While the frames have an open-ear design, sound is not transmitted to people around you. The frames feature a dual speaker system that directs sound at the wearer while canceling out sound that escapes, reducing sound by 99% just a few inches away from the ear.
All processing happens directly on the glasses, without cameras or recording, the company says.
The glasses weigh 34 grams with lenses and offer 10-12 hours of battery life. Legato frames are available in three styles and support prescription lenses and Bluetooth streaming for music and calls.
The official launch of the glasses comes a few weeks after the startup emerged from stealth with $12 million in funding from Neotribe Ventures, Listen, and Village Global.
Legato was founded in 2024 by Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine, who bring deep experience in wearables and hearing care from Bose, where Trivedi led the creation of Bose Frames and Romine led the hearing aid division. After her time at Bose, Trivedi joined EssilorLuxottica, where he led smart eyewear efforts and worked on the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, while Romine continues to serve as COO of hearing care company Audicus. The pair then teamed up to explore the intersection of hearing technology and smart glasses.
Legato frames can be purchased on the startup’s website or through select eye care providers in the United States, where they are eligible for coverage by vision insurance.
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