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What I wish someone would invent...
Old 01-14-2006, 10:55 AM   #1
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What I wish someone would invent...

A sound canceling gizmo.* A friend purchased a home near a busy street, another blocks away from a freeway that tunnels the sound of passing traffic right to her deck.* It would be great to have a device that would 'learn' bad noise and emit the inverse frequency through an outdoor speaker.
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...
Old 01-14-2006, 12:07 PM   #2
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...

Don't wait for someone else to do it, go for it. You could probably make millions off such a device.
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...
Old 01-14-2006, 12:32 PM   #3
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brat
A sound canceling gizmo. A friend purchased a home near a busy street, another blocks away from a freeway that tunnels the sound of passing traffic right to her deck. It would be great to have a device that would 'learn' bad noise and emit the inverse frequency through an outdoor speaker.
I would be the first one to buy such device. I'd love to drown out the harley riders on my block.
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...
Old 01-14-2006, 05:52 PM   #4
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...

What I learned about the properties of sound is 40+ years old, but I doubt that the physics has changed.* Sound canceling is not difficult if the source or receptor is small (which is why it works in hearing aids and headsets).*

Many years ago I participated in a high-tec product brain storming session.* I offered "maps" and "routing" for ground transportation and the easily lost like me --- this was when the internet was raw, well before the ilk of MapQuest.* It wasn't long before MS had a software product that did the job.* That was a far-fetched dream then.

Given the subsequent development of computer systems there is an opportunity for a product developer to design a system that has multiple sound receivers and speakers that would sort out and emit a noise suppression sound so that folks could enjoy their back yards.*

I wish I had the ability to develop such a product, I am just an HR person who has a flair for math and physics and can dream.* If anyone can put together such a product I have a couple good test sites and know a great VC team.
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...
Old 01-15-2006, 03:00 AM   #5
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...

It looks like there's a pretty active field in this area called Active Noise Control, but I couldn't find many consumer products.* * There are a few books and software packages that will help you build your own, but it looks like it's a very context-specific problem with no general solution.

This looks like a good toy to start bulding your own:

EZ-ANC
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...
Old 01-15-2006, 09:51 AM   #6
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...

Cool!
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...
Old 01-16-2006, 06:52 PM   #7
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...

Here's a nice sound cancelling gizmo, being operated apparently by a prairie dog...

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Re: What I wish someone would invent...
Old 01-16-2006, 10:15 PM   #8
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...

There are some excellent active noise cancellation head phones on the market:

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3000_7-1017728-1.html

I worked in an office that had 'ambient noise' piped in over ceiling speakers which basically 'hissed' as a way to mask sounds of the office. When I was a grad student and lived in noisy dorm room I used a floor fan next to my desk which was always turned on high. This fan acted as a source of masking noise and displaced the otherwise constant noise of the cramped living space. 8)
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...
Old 01-17-2006, 09:08 AM   #9
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Re: What I wish someone would invent...

Yes, devices exists for noise cancellation if you are willing to hand all your guests headphones. Picture that party for a moment.

Sound suppression is also available for specific points of origin such as a equipment.

If there were a 'fan' than one could turn on that would deal with highway noise over a back yard or deck... haven't seen that yet.
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