Legato has emerged from stealth with $12 million in funding and plans to launch hearing-assistance glasses later this fall. The startup is targeting people with mild to moderate hearing loss who may avoid conventional hearing aids because of cost, comfort or stigma.
Legato Frames place the acoustic hardware inside the arms of ordinary-looking eyewear. Rather than only aiming directional microphones at one location, the company says its AI system separates voices from background noise and amplifies speech. An open-ear, dual-speaker design directs audio toward the wearer while canceling escaping sound; Legato claims a 99% reduction a few inches from the ear.
Co-founders Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine previously worked on wearables and hearing products at Bose. Trivedi also led smart-eyewear work at EssilorLuxottica and contributed to Meta Ray-Bans. Investors in the new company include Neotribe Ventures, Listen and Village Global.
The frames are expected to reach selected eye-care providers across the US. Legato has not announced an exact price, saying only that it should be a fraction of traditional hearing-aid costs and may qualify for vision insurance through a clinic. The product’s hearing claims still need to be judged in independent, real-world use.