Imagine talking to someone across a crowd of thousands without using a phone, or sitting way up the back at a concert, but hearing everything perfectly. This is the promise of acoustic lenses, and researchers at the universities of Sussex and Bristol in the UK think they’ve something to shout about.
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Netflix has finally given attention to optimizing its audio streaming technology in the same way its adaptive video system can seamlessly recalibrate video bitrates while a stream is underway. The company claims its audio streams are now perceptually indistinguishable from studio quality sound.
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Airliner toilets can be scary things. When they flush, they sound like they'd like to suck you in along with everything else. Frequent fliers can take heart, however, as scientists have created a commode system that is claimed to reduce flush noise by almost 50 percent.
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In our increasingly noisy world, it can be hard to find some quiet time. Now, a team of mechanical engineers at Boston University has developed a new device that is specially designed to block up to 94 percent of incoming sound waves, while still letting air pass through.
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In the modern day, we’re used to sending messages to people over long distances, usually by way of a phone. But now, scientists at MIT have developed a way to use a laser to beam an audible message through thin air to a person standing on the other side of a room, so that only they can hear it.
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According to many musicians, in order to have the best sound possible, an acoustic guitar has to be made from the "right" type of wood. Unfortunately, such wood often comes from endangered, unsustainably-harvested trees. A new study, however, suggests that wood type makes essentially no difference.
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An advanced "sound tweezer" can manipulate dozens of objects independently using hundreds of tiny speakers, allowing for noninvasive surgery and a new, highly interactive type of 3D display.
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Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer amazing opportunities to update your audio gear. From a new pair of stylish wireless headphones to a power Bluetooth speaker, here are the best audio deals around.
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We’ve had the internet of things for years now. You may well already have smart devices controlling your home. But what might the future of smart home technology look like? Two scientists at Case Western Reserve University believe it could well be something they are calling the “internet of ears.”
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Dolby has finally gotten its own hands dirty and released its first consumer product. Dolby Dimension is a set of wireless, noise-cancelling headphones specifically targeted at home entertainment use – but hey, there’s nothing stopping you using them wherever you like.
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