Legato Launches AI Hearing Glasses Starting at $999

Hearing technology startup Legato is bringing hearing assistance into an everyday product: eyeglasses.

The company announced Thursday that its Legato Frames, AI-powered hearing glasses designed for adults with up to moderate hearing loss, are now available to buy. Prices start at $999.

Instead of using a traditional hearing aid that sits separately on or inside the ear, Legato has built its hearing technology directly into the arms of the glasses. The company says the approach is designed to make hearing support more accessible while addressing some of the cost, comfort, and stigma associated with conventional hearing aids.

AI Designed to Cut Through Background Noise

One of the key features of Legato Frames is the company’s AI-powered hearing system.

Traditional hearing aids often rely on directional microphones to concentrate on sounds coming from a particular direction. That approach can become challenging in noisy environments, where multiple sounds compete for attention.

Legato says its technology takes a different approach by using AI to distinguish voices from surrounding noise. The system then amplifies speech while reducing unwanted background sounds.

The company has also designed the glasses to provide an open-ear listening experience without simply broadcasting amplified audio to everyone nearby.

Legato Frames use a dual-speaker system that directs sound toward the wearer. The speakers also use sound cancellation to limit audio leakage. According to Legato, sound escaping from the glasses is reduced by 99% just a few inches away from the ear.

No Cameras or Audio Recording

Privacy is another part of Legato’s design.

The company says all processing takes place directly on the glasses, rather than requiring data to be sent elsewhere. The frames also do not include cameras or audio recording.

The glasses weigh 34 grams with lenses and provide between 10 and 12 hours of battery life on a charge.

Legato Frames are available in three styles and can accommodate prescription lenses. They also support Bluetooth streaming, allowing users to listen to music and handle phone calls through the glasses.

From Bose to a New Hearing Startup

Legato was founded in 2024 by Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine, two executives with backgrounds in both wearable technology and hearing care.

The founders previously worked at Bose, where Trivedi led the development of Bose Frames, while Romine ran the company’s hearing aids division.

After leaving Bose, their careers continued in related areas. Trivedi joined EssilorLuxottica, where he led smart eyewear initiatives and worked on the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. Romine later became COO of hearing care company Audicus.

The two eventually reunited to explore how hearing assistance could be combined with smart eyewear.

That work led to Legato and its approach of building hearing technology into a familiar everyday accessory rather than creating another standalone medical device.

$12M Raised Before Launch

Legato officially launched its glasses only a few weeks after coming out of stealth mode with $12 million in funding.

The funding came from Neotribe Ventures, Listen, and Village Global.

With the commercial launch now underway, Legato is targeting adults with up to moderate hearing loss who want hearing assistance built into an ordinary pair of glasses.

Legato Frames are available through the startup’s website and select eye care providers across the U.S. The company says the glasses are also eligible for coverage through vision insurance.

For Legato, the launch represents a push to combine hearing care with the growing smart-eyewear market, using AI and built-in speakers to make hearing assistance part of something people already wear every day.

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