Let Your House Have 'Virtual Ear'

A very old saying, 'even house has ears,' is now being transformed from be saying into reality by scientists. Scientists are developing a pair of virtual ears that would help single out a voice against background babble in a room.

The software-based ears are the brainchild of John Culling at Cardiff University in the UK.

This technology can be used to transform blueprints into “sound maps" which show how discernible speech would be, compared with background noise in a room.

Culling"s software researched how sound should travel in a room, then it works out how two competing sources would be perceived at a range of locations around the room.

The virtual ears would be 1.5 meters above the floor - to simulate human ears.

The virtual ear was also tested on whether the equipment can detect whether a person would be audible over others, if standing in a particular position. The volunteers were asked to stand in various positions of the room and their sound was analyzed.

The virtual ear, a new achievement of technology, is a boon but stay careful as to where you are standing in a room as you can be caught gossiping about a guest in a party.

Well, jokes apart, Virtual Ear can be useful in meeting, discussions etc. Technology sure is increasing it's horizon.