Legato has made its AI hearing glasses available to buy. The Frames, priced from $999, are intended for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss.
The device aims to lower the cost, improve comfort, and reduce the social stigma often linked to conventional hearing aids.
Traditional models frequently rely on directional microphones that struggle when background noise is loud. Legato uses artificial intelligence to separate speech from ambient sound, boosting the voice while suppressing unwanted noise.
The frames use an open-ear design. Sound does not broadcast to people nearby. A dual-speaker system directs audio toward the wearer and cancels escaping sound, dropping levels by 99% just a few inches from the ear.
Processing occurs entirely on the device. There are no cameras and no recording, the company states.
With lenses attached, the glasses weigh 34 grams. Battery life lasts between 10 and 12 hours. Buyers can choose from three styles. The Frames accept prescription lenses and support Bluetooth streaming for music and calls.
The launch follows a few weeks of the startup exiting stealth mode. Neotribe Ventures, Listen, and Village Global provided $12 million in funding.
Legato was founded in 2024 by Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine. Both have deep experience in wearables and hearing care from Bose, where Trivedi led the creation of Bose Frames and Romine ran the hearing aids division. After leaving Bose, Trivedi joined EssilorLuxottica to lead smart eyewear efforts and worked on the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. Romine later served as COO of Audicus. The pair combined their expertise to explore hearing technology and smart eyewear.
Orders are available on the startup website or through select eye care providers in the U.S. Vision insurance may cover the purchase.
What it means
Users gain a discreet alternative to bulky hearing aids that handles noise without needing to record conversations. The open-ear design maintains situational awareness while the proprietary speaker system keeps sound private. Insurance coverage for vision plans could lower the barrier to entry for many buyers.
