Imagine having your own personal sound bubble. You listen to your favorite tunes or play loud computer games—and no one else can hear what you’re hearing.
That’s possible now with “sound beaming” technology. It’s a futuristic audio manipulation made possible by Noveto Systems. The Israeli company is debuting a product called the SoundBeamer 1.0. The desktop device beams sound directly to a listener’s ears without the need for headphones. The sound is so close it feels like it’s inside your ears while also in front, above, and behind them. The device looks like a speaker, but no one else can hear the audio.
Noveto says the device has plenty of practical uses. Office workers could listen to music or conference calls without interrupting colleagues. You could play games, movies, or music without disturbing the rest of your family. And with no headphones, you can still hear other sounds in the room clearly.
How does the device work? The technology uses a 3-D sensing module. First, the module locates, locks in on, and tracks your ear position. Then the device sends audio via ultrasonic waves (sound waves with frequencies higher than humans can hear) to create sound pockets just barely outside your ears. Sound can be heard in stereo (“layered” audio that seems to come from multiple sources) or a spatial 3-D mode that creates 360-degree sound around the listener.
One setting even allows sound to follow listeners around when they move their heads. Another makes it possible to move out of the beam’s path and hear nothing at all.
But even CEO Christophe Ramstein has a hard time putting the concept into words. “The brain doesn’t understand what it doesn’t know,” he says.
The concept of sound beaming is not new. But Noveto was the first to launch the technology as a branded consumer product. Ramstein says a smaller version of the prototype will be on the market by Christmas 2021.
This technology has some amazing uses. But as with every invention, there’s room for people to use it for ill. Because of our fallen nature, we humans often misuse good gifts. Imagine someone using the technology as a weapon to hurt or confuse others. It would be distressing to suddenly hear sounds or commands that no one else can hear. The technology itself isn’t bad. But we do need to think carefully about how we use these inventions responsibly and lovingly.
This is cool and i want one
This is cool and i want one lol. Thought 1: in a way telekinetic communication is a thing, because you could hook up your phone to the speakers, and then listen to someone else in another area. Thought 2: I wonder if there'll be personal size models like mobile tape players but cooler.
(⓿_⓿)
Wow.
I wonder if it can cause ear damage...
Hmm
Seems like you could force people to listen to things. But if humans used it wisely I think it would be great! I wonder if two different people could listen to two different songs, both beaming from the same one. Also I wonder if deaf people could use these.
4th comment
this is cool I want one but it could be used badly yes. But I still want one my mom doesn't like my video game sounds I also wonder if they could use this technology in reverse so the person speaking could talk to someone else without being heard?
Hi!
Hello! I'm new on the world teen Commenting format but I have been reading the articles and comments for a while now,
As for the article, I have so many friends who would love this speaker, including myself.
IMAGINE
Imagine this beaming something interesting at you in your most boring class at school...
It is the end of the world!!!!
Is what i thought when i saw the headline! I thought it was Radio waves to Brain waves!! (And yes i listened to The Adventures in Odyssey "Nova-Com saga" so I'm a little paranoid) ;-)
The Future
This could be amazing technology, but it could be used in bad ways. Although, imagine being in class and having one of these. That would be awesome!
My thought when i first saw the article headline and pictures
"WHAT?!?!"
my brain flew out of my head! Or ''my ears fell off my head" is more like it!!
@ Grace
Welcome! Hope you enjoy commenting!
Huh. Interesting, but I think
Huh. Interesting, but I think this could cause cancer or something.
@ Titus Y
Lol, why, what do you play?
only 1 million dollars
Buy the sound beamer now! Only 1 million dollars!
I wonder if it's even affordable...probably not, since they didn't add the price in the article...
@ Johanna
I searched it and it said $95,000. Idk if it’s correct. But then again, it’s brand new, a lot of work put into it, you know all those things. Like connecting to your ears!! So it might well be the right amount!
Good and bad
this seems pretty cool i would like one but... Could probably be used as a weapon or make someone think there going crazy because they are the only people hearing things and that would not be good!
I feel...
I feel that humans are relying too much on technology. these days. I walk around the market and see 4 year olds playing with phones. (I personally can't have a phone until I'm eighteen. Good or bad?) It's kind of sad! (Although this speaker is really cool and I was one.)
@ Caden We just started that
@ Caden We just started that set of A. I. O. discs!!!!!!!!!!!
so cooooooooooool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cant believe this is actually a thing! Pretty soon, we could achieve telepathy exept with technology! I want one so bad!
Thats. So. Cool!
Thats. So. Cool!
@ Scarlett
I don’t have a phone but virtually everyone I know has one, even younger people. I probably won’t get one till I’m at least 18 or maybe older. My parents say I don’t need one, so I guess it’s when I do.
this is Mylee
I don't have a phone but call and text on my ipad. This is interesting but kinda weird. I agree with Caleb A you could defintly trick people.
@Micah
That is cool!! What is your favorite odessy episode? Mine is " the spy that bugged me"
@ Merela J
Sorry if I spelled your name wrong. (I love your name!!! its so unique!!!) Yea, I have a laptop but I think it may be for the greater good. I think the speakers could definitely be used wrong.
oh my this is scary
too much technology!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! take me back to the middle ages please!
This is London
I think you should get a phone at 16 bc when you can drive places, I would want/need a phone in case of anything. I would rly want this,
I feel like this technology
I feel like this technology could have its benefits, and its cons. Yes, I suppose it could be hacked, but just pull the batteries out, duh. AND THAT WOULD BE SO COOL FOR GAMING.
Or music for that matter
Or music for that matter
As far as price just wait til
As far as price just wait til you are like 40 and then maybe it will be affordable
otherwise cool!
ikr
ikr
Phones...
None of my siblings have a phone, except for a small flip phone that we three older kids share. But we only use it if we need to, like if I am babysitting, we go out to work on the farm, or go by ourselves into town, just so we have a communication device if anything happens. But yeah, my sister did not get one at sixteen, so I really don't know when we are going to get phone; my parents have never really said. But I agree that I don't need one. Yet anyway. It especially drives me nut when like 6 year olds walk around carrying a phone.
I don't have a phone, I'll
I don't have a phone, I'll probably get one when I either get a job or start driving. Whatever comes first.
My family used to have Alexa,
My family used to have Alexa, but then one day my mom realized that Alexa was listening in on conversations when it was supposedly "off."
@Alaina
How did she figure it out? That is a little scary!
This is really cool, but what will be the down sides?
It's amazing how far we have come technologically, and all the new things that are being invented are for sure amazing. It can very helpful and it will make a lot of things easier. But like with bluetooth, what will the effect on us be? What they use may be harmful for us. Also it could be used for bad. People would hear things. They could be tricked into doing things. And hearing things that people say isn't there? As far as you know you are going crazy. That would be horrible!
@ Grace D
Hi! I hope you like it! Also my middle name is Grace and our last names start with a D! That's really cool.
@Caden W Do you get any of Focus on the family's mags? My little sister gets the clubhouse ones so I just like to read them LOL and I get the Brio ones, (which are for teen girls). I've seen them talk about A.I.O. in the clubhouse ones.
@DESAROSE S
The Middle Ages? With Black Death and christians being persecuted? You must have very strong feelings about tec.!
@ Scarlett R and Desarose S
Lol ya I wouldn't really want to go back to that time. I'm glad I'm in this time.
@Riley D
Same, we don't have phones yet. I'm hopefully getting one for my birthday, but we'll see. I would just like one for talking to my friends about things, because we have a lot of clubs, jobs, etc... and it would be great to have one for babysitting. Also I'm like sooo bored around the house and my little sister just reads all day so it would be nice to be able to talk to my friends whenever. And YES it's just..... idk even know, when little kids have phones I'm just like YOU DO NOT need that you're way too young and I just want to rip it form their hands and chunk it out the window XD sorry that sounded wrong lol.
Middle ages
uhhhh...yeah....i dont like technology much. at least not this kind. its scary to me. I would rather live in the middle ages. or the early middle ages more likely. that would be the life!
but i would live in a forest somewhere alone and stay out of the way of stuff.
@Desarose S
Alone? I would would sooo sad. I'm an extrovert xD. Maybe with all my friends and family xD. I do love going camping and to other countries and stuff.
this sounds so cool! I wonder
this sounds so cool! I wonder how it works...
Novacom
by the way, the whole brain waves to radio waves might actually happen soon and to be honest... that's TERRIFYING!
TOO MUCH TEC!
This could totally lead to TOO MUCH TEC! People are talking about self driving cars now! I'm hoping robots aren't going to be taking over people's jobs. I really want to become an actress. What if people start using robots as actors? That would be so unfortunate! I hope I get started with voice acting before that happens.
@Scarlett R
Ehh, they might, but the job of graphic designing might take over nearly the whole movie process. Maybe, I really don't know on that, but it might. But, even if it does, they'll probably need voices...I wouldn't worry too much on that point.
This kinda cool but also
This kinda cool but also kinda creepy, like maybe it could be used to brainwash people or something.
@Caden and Micah
Y'all do A.I.O?! Cool we do too! Caden my favorite is also the Nova Com story, but then again we don't have ALL the episodes, so I have not heard them all. but I really like that one! We have also been to the Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado Springs. It was a lot of fun!
@Scarlett R
I AGREE TOTALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Rily and Desarose
Lets make this the AIO page!!!!!!!!!
@Caden
oh yeah....... A I O!
What's your favorite episode? mine is probably the one where whits end is robbed it was so silly
@ AIO Club LOL
SOo, I don't listen to the uhh, episodes or anything, but my little sis gets a magazine with people from AIO I think. Like, Wooton, Penny, (my fav) Matthew and Emily, uhh of course Whitt, Eugene, aand that's all I can think of at the mometn.
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