A close-up of the Sei leise prototype electronics, with a battery, sensor board and green status light on a wooden table. A close-up of the Sei leise prototype electronics, with a battery, sensor board and green status light on a wooden table.

I have a loud voice. Always have had. And it bothers me. Not only when on holiday in Japan (seriously embarassing), but also since I found out that people sometimes think I'd be aggressive, although I'm only excited. I often tell myself to speak more quietly, but I will forget as soon as I start talking. So I built this device that sits on my neck. Whenever I get too loud, it gently reminds me.

The design is deliberately simple. A small microphone measures the voice volume, and when it rises above a set threshold, the device vibrates. This threshold can be adjusted from a phone using a generic Bluetooth app. The device also measures acceleration, allowing it to enter or wake from sleep mode. It does not record audio, connect to the internet, or store any data.

I know this makes it look like I should be in a hospital, but don't worry. It's just a prototype.

A close-up of the Sei leise prototype electronics, in a tin with a cable and plaster strips. A close-up of the Sei leise prototype electronics, in a tin with a cable and plaster strips.
A work table with soldering tools, breadboards and small electronics parts, with a laptop showing a close-up of the Sei leise circuit. A work table with soldering tools, breadboards and small electronics parts, with a laptop showing a close-up of the Sei leise circuit.

Yes, I am aware these exist…