NTT claims it can stop the noise leaking from annoying people's headphones
- Reference: 1668080112
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/11/10/ntt_anti_noise_leak_headphones/
- Source link:
The feat is accomplished with a design for a speaker enclosure that is [1]claimed to hold sound in a very small space.
"With these earphones, you will be able to communicate with people around you without worrying about sound leakage to the surroundings," said NTT, which is exhibiting the tech at an [2]upcoming company R&D forum .
[3]
Bone conduction headphones
Open-ear earphones include items like neck speakers ( [4]some examples ) and bone-conduction earphones (see image above) and are great for those who find canal-type earphones uncomfortable or unhygienic. However, they are notorious for leaking sound – an undesired feature in any work landscape, but even more so in today's work-from-home environment where co-workers double as spouses and roommates.
Canal-type earphones also block external sound and therefore situational awareness. This makes them not great for things like multitasking or navigating the environment – for instance commuting through public transportation. Coincidentally, public transport is an environment in which it is generally thought socially unacceptable to blast your conference call or Spotify playlist.
[5]
NTT said its design fixes such conundrums by localizing sound through a single speaker with multiple carefully placed holes on the sides of the enclosure. According to NTT, the design "enables the sound leakage to become very small as sound moves away from the ear."
[6]
[7]
NTT is calling the localization tech Personalized Sound Zone (PSZ), which does somewhat more than optimizing holes in a speaker enclosure. It also pits normal phase and reverse phase sound waves against each other to cancel out at distances.
[8]
Personalized Sound Zone cancelling sound waves
The Japanese company claims that tests show a user can be listening to 80dB of music, but at 15cm away the space is as quiet as a library.
[9]Logitech Zone Vibe 125: Weightless comfort on the ears that won't break the bank
[10]Samsung spruiks Galaxy Buds Pro performance as comparable to hearing aids
[11]Fake vibrating teeth could make great hearing aids
[12]Apple aptly calls its wireless over-the-ear headphones the AirPods Max – as in, maximum damage to your wallet
"Open-ear earphones utilizing our technology will be released by NTT Sonority," said NTT.
NTT Sonority is an [13]acoustics-related affiliate of NTT Group. Its YouTube account consists of one video showcasing some wired earphones that use the ear targeting acoustic tech – the MWE001, which weigh 9 grams and hook over the ear.
[14]YouTube Video
[15]
MWE001 is developed by NTT, but also supported by [16]crowdfunding.
PSZ is also being rolled out for aircraft passengers as an in-flight entertainment tool. NTT Sonority is teaming up with aerospace interiors company [17]Jamco to install the tech into seat headrests for a headphone- and earbud-free experience.
Here's hoping. ®
Get our [18]Tech Resources
[1] https://group.ntt/en/newsrelease/2022/11/09/221109a.html
[2] https://www.rd.ntt/e/forum/2022/index.html
[3] https://regmedia.co.uk/2022/11/10/shutterstock_bone_conduction.jpg
[4] https://duckduckgo.com/?q=neck+speaker&va=b&t=hc&iax=images&ia=images
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Y20uKQEd1Q5ix1lK-w0DWAAAAME&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Y20uKQEd1Q5ix1lK-w0DWAAAAME&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Y20uKQEd1Q5ix1lK-w0DWAAAAME&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://regmedia.co.uk/2022/11/10/psz_ntt_earphones.png
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/05/logitech_zone_vibe_125/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/22/samsung_galaxy_buds_pro_hearing_aids_almost/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/01/prosthetic_teeth_hearing_aid/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/08/airpods_max_apple/
[13] https://group.ntt/jp/newsrelease/2021/08/06/210806c.html
[14] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFyeCZ-GW6s
[15] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Y20uKQEd1Q5ix1lK-w0DWAAAAME&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[16] https://greenfunding.jp/lab/projects/6208
[17] https://www.militaryaerospace.com/commercial-aerospace/article/14234417/embedded-speaker-commercial-aircraft
[18] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Can they also stop ...
" why these people think that it is necessary to blast us with their crap choice of music is beyond me "
Probably for the same reason that broadcasters think they must add silly distracting sound effects to reportage programmes -- the assumption that we expect to be constantly "stimulated". Unfortunately many people I've asked have become habituated to this and find quiet environments unnerving so what annoys alain williams (and me) is self-perpetuating and probably escalating.
Re: Can they also stop ...
Or over-loud music in films and TV dramas, sometimes to the extent you can't even hear the dialogue over the background music.
Re: Can they also stop ...
I'll sometimes use noise cancelling ear/headphones with nothing playing when visiting shops, for exactly this reason.
Re: Can they also stop ...
In pubs the aim of loud music, and salty snacks, is to get you to drink more.
In other environments, the idea is generally to improve the mood by providing a "bed" over either the warehouse like silence or irregular clatter of people and equipment. Personally, I do find that music that is just about audible does help me ignore external sounds such as traffic, because the brain tends to focus on it.
Re: Can they also stop ...
In pubs the aim of loud music … is to get you to drink more.
It gets me to drink elsewhere.
Re: Can they also stop ...
When there are few shoppers, they're welcome to browse idly, but when the shop is overcrowded they want people to get what the want and move on. Science has long [1]established that the type of music playing influences the way customers behave , so shops use that to their benefit - even if it annoys some, it makes the many act as pretended.
[1] https://blog.audiosocket.com/content-creation/consumer-buying-habits/
Science..
"which does somewhat more than optimizing holes in a speaker enclosure. It also pits normal phase and reverse phase sound waves against each other to cancel out at distances."
I suspect that the correct way to describe this is "BY optimizing holes in a speaker enclosure it pits normal phase and reverse phase sound waves against each other to cancel out at distances." No "also".
(Conference) calls in public
public transport is an environment in which it is generally thought socially unacceptable to blast your conference call
It's not only the noise of the other party coming out of the headphones that makes it unacceptable to make calls while using public transports, your part will be audible to anyone nearby. If you hear somebody next to you talking to someone you'll subconsciously search for that other guy being addressed and if you can't find anyone that will make you uncomfortable.
Another reason to avoid calls in public is sensitive information may be leaked - even though those around forced to listen in usually won't be interested.
Those directional speakers...
are freaky. I've encountered them in some museums. The penumbra where the sounds starts getting cancelled out makes me nauseous.
I believe that Smith and Wesson also make a product that's very effective at alleviating this problem.
You are referring to the silencer, of course...
The biggest problem with these headphones...
...is that they will typically be bought by people who already don't disturb others, whereas they actually need to be USED by people who do.
Re: The biggest problem with these headphones...
You're saying that these need to replace the earphones that are normally found on the arseholes ??
Re: The biggest problem with these headphones...
You're saying that these need to replace the earphones that are normally attached to arseholes ?? there, fixed that for you ;-)
Re: The biggest problem with these headphones...
Well if that is how you are using them then surely just sitting down should muffle the sound quite a lot?
Re: The biggest problem with these headphones...
They've never heard my Stax Lambda Pro's / 404's. Bipolar electrostatic diaphragms, requiring an open-air design (Stax does have a sealed version but they don't sound the same). Think Quads / MartinLogans (sans subs) for the ears.
You AREN'T silencing them. Ever. That's the way they're built and the way they need to operate.
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They once made a battery-powered energizer to take them outside. A few people have dared to. Love to see how that would work out in today's society :p
Re: The biggest problem with these headphones...
Yes, Stax sound amazing but, as you pointed, they are not intended for outdoors use.
The same way you seldom see your average chav with a Quad ESL boombox :D
Look pretty good
The biggest problem with any kind of headset is turning it up too loud because this will impair your own hearing over time; if it's so loud that it's annoying other people then it's already too loud.
I don't encounter "leakage" often as a problem but anyone involved in a conversation is going to be more annoying than their headset. But I do like the like idea of improved situational awareness. I already have a headset with external drivers for when cycling. Generally, I can hear both navigational instructions and what's going on around me, which is safer for me and those around me! The design looks good as well, except for that perennial of us four eyes: a loop over the ear, though the clip does show someone wearing glasses, so maybe they've solved this.
Can they also stop ...
the musak in shops, sports centers, pubs, ... Why, oh why, these people think that it is necessary to blast us with their crap choice of music is beyond me.