This audio technology could make headphones obsolete by 2019

Source: Business Insider, 30/06/2018

• A startup called Noveto has come up with technology to deliver sound
right to your ears without your wearing any device at all.
• The technology uses focused sound waves.
• Noveto brought on Brian Wallace, who helped raise $1.4 billion
(about R19 billion) for Magic Leap, to be CEO and help bring the
product to market.
Headphones may start to look like old technology in 2019 when Noveto,
a startup based in Israel, showcases its new `focused audio` devices
to attendees of the biggest tech show of any year, CES.
Noveto has come up with a technology that can do exactly the same
thing as headphones �` deliver sound right to your ears without
disturbing those around you �` except without the headphones
themselves. In fact, you wouldn`t need to wear any device at all.
Focused audio can come either from a standalone device, which the
company is calling Sowlo for now, that looks like a small soundbar or
Bluetooth speaker, or from any device that usually makes sound, like a
TV, computer monitor, smartphone, or tablet, or even things like a
treadmill with Noveto`s technology built in.
It emits audio directly to your ears �` and it`s amazing, quite
frankly. During a demo, I was listening to a video clip that I could
hear loud and clear, but no one around me could. And I wasn`t wearing
anything on my head or in my ears.
If it sounds familiar, you`re maybe thinking of directional audio,
which shoots sound in front of the device emitting it. But if you`re
not directly in front of a directional-audio speaker, you`re not going
to hear it.
Noveto`s focused audio is different �` it`s `steerable`, Tomer Shani, a
Noveto cofounder, told Business Insider during an interview. That is
to say, Noveto`s focused audio can follow you around as you move,
something directional audio can`t do.
To follow you around, Noveto uses 3D-tracking technology to see where
your ears are, and it delivers audio right to them.
`I need to know the position of your ears in space so I know where to
build my sound bubbles,` Shani told Business Insider of the
technology. Shani is one of its main engineers, along with his
colleague and co-founder, Noam Babayoff.
Not just a cool idea that`ll never make it to the mainstream
Noveto attracted the attention of Brian Wallace, who was brought on to
help bring the product to market.
It`s a promising move for Noveto. Wallace, now Noveto`s CEO, has spun
the marketing wheels at some of the biggest names in the tech industry.
You may have heard of some of those names, including BlackBerry,
Google, Samsung, the mixed-reality company Magic Leap, the smartphone
company Essential, and, most recently, the musician Will.i.am`s
earphone company, i.am+. At Magic Leap, Wallace helped raise about
$1.4 billion (R19.2 billion).
When thinking about the viability of Noveto`s focused-audio technology
to become a mainstream product, my mind went directly to virtual reality.
VR is an amazing piece of tech in the same way that Noveto`s
technology is amazing. But VR hasn`t enjoyed mainstream popularity,
partially because of its typically high price tags, and the best
setups require powerful computers, cables absolutely everywhere, and
even some pretty involved setting up �` not to mention there`s
relatively little content being made for VR at the moment.
Noveto seemingly has fewer pain points that could get in the way of
mainstream popularity, mostly because it doesn`t require you to really
change anything you`re already doing to listen to audio, nor would it
cost you more than you might already spend on mid-range headphones;
standalone units are expected to cost $249 (R3,300) to $299 (R4,100),
which is on the lower end. Plus, the content for Noveto is already
there �` music, video, games, and anything else that involves audio.
And then there`s the potential for existing products to embed Noveto`s
technology. This could be amazing in a car, for example. `Each
passenger can enjoy their own audio content,` Shani said. `The kids in
the back seat can see a Walt Disney [movie] for the 15,000th time, and
in the front you can hear something else or just enjoy peace and quiet.`
Noveto has also attracted interest from Dell for monitors and laptops
with embedded focused audio.
How does it sound?
In its existing prototype state, Noveto`s technology may not satiate
audio-quality enthusiasts. But the sound quality is likely to
dramatically improve as development progresses.
Wallace said he believes Noveto could easily give its devices better
sound quality than one of the most popular headphones you can buy today.
`Are we going to replace a $10,000 (R138,000) home surround system?
No,` Wallace said. `But can we replace 80% of what`s out there? Yes,
100%.`
For now, the focus is to give you personal, private audio listening
without wearing something on your head and ears, all while staying
aware of your surroundings.
During the demo in a busy hotel lobby, I could hear the video, as well
as the activity around me. The only major issue I have is how it works
if you`re perpendicular to the device. At a 90° angle, the sound
bubble would be able to reach only the ear facing the device.
`We can correct for this by positioning the system above the user,
allowing us to track the ears no matter the position of the head,`
Wallace said. That could mean some extra setting up on the ceiling for
home use if you anticipate you won`t be facing the audio source at all
times.
Noveto expects the devices to be ready and available to buy by fall 2019.
`The tech is real, ready, and everything set to go,` Wallace said.