Legato, a hearing technology startup, announced on Wednesday that it has raised $12 million and unveiled its AI-powered hearing glasses, called Legato Frames, which are slated for release later this fall.

Hearing loss affects an estimated 50 million adults in the United States, but only about 20 % of those with diagnosed hearing loss seek treatment.

The glasses integrate the company’s patented hearing‑assistance technology into the arms of eyewear frames and are designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, the largest segment of the hearing‑loss population. Legato says the product addresses cost, comfort and stigma associated with traditional hearing aids by creating a small, lightweight form factor that looks like regular glasses and requires no user adjustments.

Legato was founded in late 2024 by Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine, both former executives at Bose and other hearing‑care and wearable companies. Trivedi previously led Bose Frames development and later worked on smart eyewear at EssilorLuxottica, while Romine served as COO of Audicus. After a period of independent research, the pair combined their experience to develop the AI system that separates voice from background noise and amplifies only the former.

The AI‑driven system uses a dual‑speaker architecture that directs sound toward the wearer and cancels sound that escapes, reducing audible leakage by about 99 % within a few inches of the ear. The open‑ear design does not broadcast sound to others.

Funding from Neotribe Ventures, Listen, and Village Global will support product development and marketing. The company says the glasses will be sold through select eye‑care providers nationwide and may be eligible for vision‑insurance coverage, with a price expected to be lower than conventional hearing aids.

The launch aims to make hearing assistance as ubiquitous as vision care, though broader adoption and long‑term health impact remain to be evaluated.