Arnheim didn't like the noise-isolating earphones he received from Etymotic Research in February, which is one reason the Silicon Valley 100 didn't help sell a lot of the product.
Etymotic's hearing protection products were honored with a Design and Engineering Innovations Award in the Health and Wellness category at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show and the prestigious 2010 Safe-in-Sound Award for decades of innovation in hearing loss prevention from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Hearing Conservation Association.