Straight Outta Cyberpunk: Headphone Concept Features on-Ear Displays

A new headphone concept by Olga Orel adds a whole new dimension to these popular (some would say essential) audio accessories. Dubbed the Futureahead headphones, this Behance-hosted "Future Nostalgia" product design mixes influences from retro-technology sources with the modern urge to integrate display panels into everything. The result is a set of cans that wouldn't look out of place in Cyberpunk 2077.

In the mix of product images shared by Orel, you can see a display covers almost the full extent of the ear cup exterior. The boxy shape of the ear cups would help any future manufacturer source an off-the-shelf display for this product.

Having displays hosted on your ears is of questionable merit, and we are therefore thankful that Orel seems to have thought about this question. According to the Futureahead headphone designer, the display will be useful for:

• Sharing your musical experience though album art
• Showing playlist, track information, or lyrics
• Showing music visualizations
• Showing user-configured videos or images
• Showing your feelings
• Device status display (volume, charging, battery, etc)

If you ever take public transportation, you will probably be aware that some people are keen to share the music they are listening to. The Futureahead headphone concept takes this type of conspicuous music consumption to another level with any kind of visuals you can imagine. However, building such a battery-sapping component into headphones for the dubious benefit of others will obviously mean you'll have to charge your square cans more often, unless you use them in wired mode, in which case they'll be sucking the juice from your phone or media player.

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Orel shares some more technical specs for the Futureahead design. The headset will work in wired (USB-C) and Bluetooth wireless modes, it is envisioned. We also see that the ear cushions will be magnetically attached, allowing for easy replacements due to preferences or servicing. Some intuitive physical controls are included in the design, like a volume wheel, and a button to toggle the display on and off (that one is sure to be handy for when there's no one around to gawk at you). Outside of these physical controls, users will be expected to do much of the Futureahead headphone configuration via an app -- particularly for choosing and tweaking what is shown on the ear cup display.

Some readers may question the appeal of headphones with an ear cup display, especially those who think form should strictly follow function, and who appreciate minimal design. Even people who love PC frills like extraneous RGB lighting and integrated component displays might still question the worth of a display situated on one's ear. Meanwhile, those who are currently screaming 'take my money' for this product, will have to wait and see if a launch date / pricing emerges for this daringly different headset design.

For readers in the market for a more traditional set of headphones or headset, please check out our frequently updated Best PC Gaming Headsets 2023: Budget, Wired, and Wireless feature. Also, don't forget to invest in some essential audiophile computer equipment for the ultimate listening experience.