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Stephen D. Ambrose has been helping people hear better for a long time, but now he\u2019s taking that mission further than ever. Decades ago, Ambrose \u2014 a recording artist himself \u2014 invented the wireless in-ear monitor so that musicians on stage can better hear what they\u2019re playing. That device, a predecessor of today\u2019s earbuds, did its job well, but unfortunately it could also contribute to hearing loss. Today, Ambrose and his team at Asius Technologies<\/A> are pioneering a new kind of earphone that transmits what they call \u201cthe softest loud you\u2019ve ever heard.\u201d Their design seals off the ear with a tiny inflatable \u201csecond eardrum\u201d that absorbs harmful pressure, giving listeners a richer, louder sound while also protecting their hearing.<\/P> <\/P> Ambrose and company are not only coming up with a revolutionary product, but also designing it in a revolutionary way using Fusion 360. Ambrose, who has decades of patents to his name, says that \u201cIt used to take so long to build these things,\u201d but with Fusion 360 the team is able to dream up a fresh idea, design it collaboratively in the software, and then 3D print it so they can play with it. This approach means they can try out many different ideas quickly, without a huge investment. \u201cYou could have a harebrained idea,\u201d Ambrose says. \u201cSo what? Go try it.\u201d<\/P> <\/P> Asius was named one of the top 10 startups of the year for 2013 by the Wall Street Journal, and it completed a Kickstarter campaign<\/A> that raised more than three times its goal amount of $200,000 at the end of 2014. Still, Ambrose continues to experiment, study, and design \u2014 and to enjoy the serendipitous discoveries that arise along the way. \u201cThere’s an awful lot of things that don’t work as expected,\u201d he says, \u201cand they’re wonderful.\u201d<\/P> <\/P> <\/p>\n