Spain. A device capable of directing the audio so that the sound of an amplifier is only heard in a certain area of an auditorium and another that can locate a person inside a room according to their sound, were presented by Telefónica de España.
These pilot projects were developed by Holosonics at MIT and the Polytechnic University of Valencia. The Technological Innovation Management of Telefónica Spain is looking for commercial applications for them.
Holostonics' 'Executive Audio' uses special speakers to direct the sound, achieving high quality and low signal distortion. This allows the sound to only be heard in a specific area.
The second is the 'Isabel Project' or audio source locator, which offers the possibility of executing actions according to the exact location of a person in an auditorium.
It works through microphones installed in a room, which can vary the number according to the size of the room. The sound is processed digitally with the help of voice source localization software.
Among the applications that the 'Executive Audio' could have, are a videoconferencing system in which several people who speak different languages participate or in a house when two people are watching two different programs on the same TV. For the source locator they have thought of helping the disabled.
In either case, Telefónica executives indicated that they would not be on the market in less than two years.
