‘Audible enclaves’ could enable private listening without headphones | Penn State University
www.psu.edu
In a new advancement in audio engineering, a team of researchers led by Yun Jing, professor of acoustics in the Penn State College of Engineering, has precisely narrowed where sound is perceived by creating localized pockets of sound zones, called audible enclaves. In an enclave, a listener can hear sound, while others standing nearby cannot, even if the people are in an enclosed space, like a vehicle, or standing directly in front of the audio source.

It may someday be possible to listen to a favorite podcast or song without disturbing the people around you, even without wearing headphones. In a new advancement in audio engineering, a team of researchers led by Yun Jing, professor of acoustics in the Penn State College of Engineering, has precisely narrowed where sound is perceived by creating localized pockets of sound zones, called audible enclaves. In an enclave, a listener can hear sound, while others standing nearby cannot, even if the people are in an enclosed space, like a vehicle, or standing directly in front of the audio source.

  • futatorius@lemm.eeEnglish
    2·
    9 hours ago

    Back in the 60s, at one of the Acid Tests, Owsley (who was the Grateful Dead’s soundman) used directional mikes and speakers along with tape loops to do a version of this. You could be having a conversation in one part of the venue, wander off somewhere else, and hear your conversation played back. Someone near you wouldn’t hear it. It was all pretty much random, it didn’t actually track people, but the effect (according to someone I know who was there) was quite unnerving, especially while on a couple hits of acid (also courtesy of Owsley).