We put Qualcomm audio into earrings for Peripherii
New York style meets world-class audio engineering
High quality Bluetooth audio engineering for a fashion jewellery entrepreneur
When founder Priti Moudgill of Peripherii set out to deliver stylish earrings that double as high-performance hearables, she faced a dilemma: most wireless audio devices compromise on comfort, design or usability. She envisioned earrings that stay on securely, look like normal jewellery, deliver solid audio quality, and offer top Bluetooth connectivity — all without sacrificing comfort or convenience. Partnering with Virscient brought that vision to life.
Peripherii’s challenge
Peripherii’s initial prototype. based on Qualcomm’s audio componentry, had the spark of a creative idea but fell short in a number of technical areas. With Bluetooth 4 connectivity, the device lacked the modern features and audio performance demanded by consumers. It was light, but still too big to be worn as discreet, comfortable jewellery. Priti knew that for the product to succeed, the team needed to shrink the size, upgrade the wireless connectivity to Bluetooth 5, and deliver higher audio quality in an open-ear or on-ear form factor.
The brief was sophisticated:
- The audio node had to integrate sensors that could detect when the earring was being worn, held or stored.
- The swap-out earring concept meant multiple accessories connecting and disconnecting via the same electronics.
- Battery life, comfort, aesthetics and form-factor all needed to work in harmony.
Virscient were really fantastic in helping me figure things out. For example, what happens when somebody’s wearing the earring and they’re not using it? … this is how it is and this is where things could go wrong. When other potential partners delivered opaque answers and unclear processes, Virscient stood out for transparency and clarity — making the decision to partner much easier.- Priti Moudgill, Founder, Peripherii
The solution in action
Working collaboratively with Peripherii, Virscient mapped out a full product engineering pathway from electronics to wireless firmware to production readiness. The goal: transform a promising prototype into a market-ready smart ear accessory that blends audio performance, style and usability.
Technology selection & system architecture
- Upgraded the connectivity to Bluetooth 5, selecting a modern SoC and audio chain for open-ear performance
- Shrunk the physical size of the audio node significantly, meeting weight and comfort specifications
- Integrated sensor logic to detect ear-wear status, handle earring swap-out scenarios and manage power accordingly
- Balanced mechanical and PCB design constraints with jewellery-level aesthetics, ensuring the electronics co-exist with premium materials
- Ensured supply-chain readiness for production scale-up and lightweight manufacturing
Firmware & embedded software engineering
- Developed embedded software for seamless audio performance and connectivity switching across accessory modules
- Delivered sensor logic handling wear detection, idle states, and user swap-outs of earrings
- Optimised battery life and power management in a compact wearable environment
- Collaborated with Peripherii’s design team to align firmware behaviour with user expectations of jewellery and audio accessories
- Managed regular communication and updates to align software, hardware and design progress
Testing, validation & production readiness
- Provided production advice, including component lead-times, ordering strategy and supply-chain foreplanning. Priti and the team had initially expected two to three months, but it turned out to be six months.
- Oversaw hardware and firmware integration testing for comfort, audio quality, wireless performance and durability
- Facilitated collaboration across design, engineering and manufacturing to stay on schedule and hit market-readiness
- Acted as a fully embedded technology arm for Peripherii, guiding from prototype to market launch
The partnership between Peripherii and Virscient resulted in a deceptively simple product that hides a complex technical architecture behind elegant jewellery. The clever earrings deliver high-quality wireless audio, Bluetooth 5 connectivity, intuitive wearable behaviour (detecting when they’re worn or stored), and a compact, stylish form factor that consumers can comfortably wear all day. By enabling Peripherii to cross the threshold from prototype to scalable product, Virscient helped turn a vision of fashion-forward hearables into a real market-ready offering. The result: a differentiation in the crowded wireless audio market where style meets substance — proving that wearables can perform and also look like jewellery.
Related Capabilities
Embedded Software
Virscient designs lean, robust firmware that forms the backbone of your wireless or connected product, reducing bugs and accelerating your time-to-market.
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