‘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.

  • Akrenion@slrpnk.netEnglish
    4·
    16 days ago

    I’ve found that bone conducting headphones work well for this. They are even secure enough for running and climbing.

    • ProfessorProteus@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      16 days ago

      I’ve always been very curious about this technology, but I imagine that they wouldn’t be as good at transmitting high frequencies. I’m no audio engineer so it’s only a hunch of course. Do they sound comparable to a decent pair of buds in the ear?

      • Akrenion@slrpnk.netEnglish
        1·
        15 days ago

        I’d say so yeah. I switched between headphones a lot recently and they don’t stand out. All headphones have their own sound anyway. I just embrace what they highlight and get to know my favourite songs again.

  • don@lemm.eeEnglish
    3·
    16 days ago

    Probably won’t do anything about those who actively want everyone else around to hear what they’re listening to.

  • overload@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    3·
    16 days ago

    This could be very handy to be able to still be notifiable while not driving your family crazy.

  • AA5B@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    14 days ago

    At wrk we have alcoves for more casual meetings or just getting away from your desk, that are surprisingly good at localizing the sound

  • rottingleaf@lemmy.worldEnglish
    11·
    16 days ago

    I just took a short look at the JXTA specification ; JXTA is abandoned and this is the progress people are pursuing. So sad really.

    I mean, yes, comfort is good, yes, this is like a device from Asimov’s Foundation, but the problem is kinda solved by headphones already. And yes, it’s cool.

    (If someone doesn’t know what JXTA is - it’s Sun’s standard for p2p applications, of the “progress of the past that was left unfinished and forgotten” kind, and looking at ZFS, which is a similarly comprehensive thing for filesystems, I have no doubts the world would be better were it finished.)