Headset Uses Bone-Conduction Technology 135
Wired reports that a new headset is on the way to solve all those background noise problems you have had with your cell phone in crowded areas. This new bluetooth headset uses "bone-conduction" technology that converts vibrations from you jaw into sound. The article claims it should be available as early as later this year for around $200.
Science Museum Exhibit (Score:5, Interesting)
If you combined that with the sub-vocalization technology that can detect what you say as you speak silently, we might be able to rid society of noisy cellphone users. Now that's tech I can appreciate.
The Original Bone Phone (Score:5, Interesting)
http://www.pocketcalculatorshow.com/magicalgadget
Looks like it could make a comeback as a combination mobile phone and mp3 player; then again, probably not.
Old news (Score:5, Interesting)
It certainly isn't worth $200, though. We are talking about maybe $2 worth of materials here, probably even less.
-Matt
It's a bit conspicuous... (Score:5, Interesting)
Bone microphones are sometimes used in the movie industry to communicate with actors/stunt people while on camera, when the person is too far away to reliably hear direction (if the person is dangling from a construction crane, for example).
Impact on Hearing Loss (Score:3, Interesting)
Been around for a while (Score:3, Interesting)
Old tech revived (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Has been available outside the US for a while n (Score:3, Interesting)
Do you sound like a stranger with a better voice? (Score:3, Interesting)
If so, the person at the other end might not recognize you, because you would sound like a stranger... a stranger who has a richer, deeper voice than you.
If that's correct, the implications are interesting.
Re:What if.. (Score:1, Interesting)
I drive through 3 counties about 3 days a week visiting clients and fixing network/software/hardware issues, logging ~90 miles a day. Frequently I'm speaking with clients while driving, or the office. Being able to push one button and say 'Call so-n-so', without ever looking away from the road is well worth the 100bux spent on the HS. How many people do you see driving holding a phone and sometimes a drink and not paying a bit of attention to what is going on around them? Usually in those f'ing H2's or Navigators.
Additionally, when I'm onsite, it may look strange, and I do get smart-assed comments every so often, I usually wear the HS. This frees up my hands to do whatever I'm working on and allows me to talk to the boss or other support people.
Once I'm done with work and am heading into a grocery store/bar/anyplace where I don't want to use a phone, I leave the BT HS in the truck.
I'd rather look like a cheap borg imitation than hold that brick of a phone (i730) up to my head all the time, and using the wired HS just sux (except for the MP3s and streaming radio/TV)
Old tech (Score:1, Interesting)
sollution to MP3 hearing damage? (Score:2, Interesting)
How is that relevant? I think it's very usefull.. and would love it for my MP3 player instead of wering a big headset to protect my ears [google.com]!
If it'd be a bit more compact, I'd certainly go out and buy one and enjoy my music without worrying to lose my hearing before I'm 30.