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Ultra-Low Power Radio Transceiver Enables Truly Wireless Earbuds
First time accepted submitter irl_4795 writes At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona NXP Semiconductors will demonstrate Near Field Magnetic Induction technology in a truly wireless earbud including wireless audio streaming from ear to ear. From the article: "The wireless technology being used to enable truly wireless earbuds is based on Near Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI). NFMI features important properties such as ultra-low power consumption and the ability to create a very reliable network in and around the human body, with both high-quality audio and data streaming supported over small distances. An additional integration advantage is also that it requires few external components. NFMI is a short range technology and as such also creates a private network, making it is much less susceptible to interference than 2.4 GHz transceivers.
"That's no good. You stick it inside your shirt, he's gonna find it."
"Well, where do you suggest I put it? All right. You'll hear me?"
"We jack up the volume, we'll be able to tell what you had for lunch."
Careful, don't sit down.
Yet another form of near-field radiation being transmitted across the brain.
Not to seem paranoid, but my reaction to this is a bit skeptical.
Discuss.
During sports and fitness activities, the wires of today's earbuds are a genuine inconvenience and can potentially be unsafe.
Yes, unsafe. I'm guessing the number of people who have died over the years by earbud wire strangling has to be in the singles of digits, and that's including zero.
I'll have to bend down and look for my earbud 'cause the cable's gone....
Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
A lot of people? Is this a "who has a TV, anyway" kind of question meant to sound superior or a serious question?
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Earbuds, and their users could be terrorists! There is probably encryption over RF and indicates the true enemy; (privacy), might be hard at work here. They need to contact the NSA for top level review before marketing this product to have a back door installed. Might be a better idea to go back to the '70's "Boombox" and propeller based fly by wire aircraft too.
Finding them when they fall out
How about every female bus rider who doesn't want to be spoken to and doesn't want to mess up their hair...
Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.
Apparently it uses 1.5mW at 1V.
You can get batteryless radios. Crystal radios (which don't necessarily contain a crystal) get all their power from the radio signal, and they're scarily simple. During the second world war foxhole radios were built out of a razor blade, a pencil, some wire and a set of headphones (instructions: http://www.bizarrelabs.com/fox...) Prisoner of war radios used coal
AFAIK, however, the much lower energy VHF signals for FM isn't capable of running an FM decoder, and probably not an earpiece either.
I wonder if a modern crystal earpiece could usefully pick up low-power AM transmissions from a cellphone in your pocket without spamming everyone around you with radio waves?
I'm happy that this exists, but since my earphones fall out relatively often (ie more than never) I think this might be doomed just because it's not OK to easily lose your very expensive electronic device. Wire to carry signal might be old fashioned, but it also has a job as a tether.
while i'm beside you on the bus, 'cause my body broadcasts better than yours.
These may be ultra low power but they still require a power source either wireless or need to be charged. Aside of the power needed to transmit stereo audio data surely the power of moving the tiny speaker diaphragms is significant enough. Especially if you like some music loud or bass heavy.
I would be a fan of the ear bud type design although it's hard enough to get ones these days that sound well. The ones available in the mid 1990s seemed better to me.
Wireless charging would concern me a little if beamed to my ears. I don't worry excessively about such things normally but doesn't that data rate seem high for that proximity to your brain too?
If they're battery powered, it's just another device to be charged daily along with the phone, the tablet, the smart watch watch etc. I'd think I'd prefer the old fashioned wires until batter technology improves improves.
One more thought, something similar was done for a tiny fm radio also in ear based by Sinclair Research in the 1990s. That didn't catch on either.
But then how will she hear rapists sneaking up on her?
I can't tell if you are serious. Not really, I can.
Male bus riders on the other hand love being spoken to and messing up their hair.
People who don't care about music quality. Or those of us that need a set that packs up easily in the work bag and does not take up space.
I have listened to $300 earbuds and they suck compared to even a $40.00 set of real cans, It's why the junky "beats" headphones became popular, a lot of people tried them and said "wow these are amazing" compared to earbuds.
One advantage of earbuds is that they do not do any real noise isolation so you can hear when a bus is about to squish you. Good headphones will keep the sound of that bus out of your ears even after it hits you...
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
earplug eye microphone projectors.... No wait! :(
NSA has them allready
I've heard that earbuds are also responsible for global warming.
I've auditioned some pretty amazing earbuds. Admittedly, they don't stand up to something like Sony Professional headphones, but there are some good ones, superior to numerous trashy and even mid-range headphones.
With proper fit (referring generally to tip size) earbuds will give a LOT of acoustic isolation, enough to make them really dangerous if walking or jogging in any kind of traffic. I've never gotten headphones to isolate as close to 100% as properly fit, well-designed earbuds.
Of course, earbuds have issues. Sound stage can be one; you don't get the openness you get with headphones or of course speakers. Hearing damage can be another if you don't use them sensibly. Sanitation, too, if you don't wipe the tips with a little alcohol after use.
Shoot! A fella could have a good time in Las Vegas if these wireless earbuds ever takeoff!
I've auditioned some pretty amazing earbuds.
As opposed to "tried"?
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
"Auditioned" implies he also had sex with the candidates.
I do. Are you one of those mongoloids who'd wear studio style headphones to the gym?
The wireless is even better -- finding a set of bluetooth headphones that are a) comfortable b) water proof/resistant is a monumental challenge. Something like this negates the need for a bulky(ish) battery, decreasing the weight -- thus making them more comfortable and smaller.
No, "auditioned". You can "try" a pair of earbuds by sticking them in your ear. You "Audition" earbuds by ensuring they fit properly, then using them to listen to several pieces of music you are familiar with, and generating a (personal, subjective) rating for them.
It's the difference between sitting in a car and going for a test-drive.
They only cause hearing damage at high volume levels. A lot of earbuds have good bass reproduction. It's true, though, that they aren't sanitary and that they can irritate the ear and cause earwax buildup/blockage (the reason I don't use them).
A fool and his hard drive are soon parted.
This kind of tech has existed for a while; it's primarily used in surveillance gear, so that the earphones being worn by someone working in the field can't be seen. The downside of the current state-of-the-art, however, is that the wearer needs to have the induction coil under their clothing, around their neck. I'm really curious how this would work in stereo, personally, as all the solutions I've seen are only mono by requirement; there's no easy way to partition the field into two segments, to separate left from right.
For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
including wireless audio streaming from ear to ear
So I can hear what my left ear sounds like with my right ear?
That might get confusing...
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
This one does, but it's been a while.
What a load of pretentious horse shit.
Me. I love earbuds. I even love the old fashioned kind that sit outside the ear canal. I've found some that have remarkable sound and they're a little expensive but man are they good.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Yes! Global warming is directly responsible for eco terrorists!
Well, you don't seem like the original poster, but I think you answered my question.
Earbuds:
1. Fit in a pocket
2. Are more than adequate for most pop music produced in the last 75 years.
3. Are more than adequate for most mobile listening environments.
4. Are more than adequate for podcasts.
5. Can passively cancel ambient noise without looking like Princess Leia.
6. Might, depending on personal preference, be more comfortable.
7. More amenable to wearing during physical activity.
8. Starting cost is around $1.
But yes, they completely suck for all purposes.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
This is how audiophiles talk. If you have one as a friend, it is best for everyone if you simply never talk about music.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
The next step is direct cochlear implantation, bypassing the mechanical subsystems for truly dynamic fidelity. A fortunate byproduct would be hearing implants for the deaf.
I have a pair of the Plantronics Backbeat Go 2. For a $70 bluetooth set, they are more than adequate. I have used them daily for nearly a year with no major problems.
Battery life is approximately 4-5 hours for phone conversations; slightly less with louder and/or bass-heavy music. Recharge time is slower than I'd like (about 0.5x discharge time), but they're not bulky, are fully flexible (no hard parts between the buds), and very comfortable in my ears. I wear them around my neck constantly so there's no risk of damaging them in pockets. I also run 5-10k with them at a stretch with no discomfort or real risk of falling out.
My only complaint is there's no way to disable the 'play' button functionality on android devices over bluetooth (only with wired headsets, argh), but overall they're as close to the holy grail of bluetooth talking/running phone/music buds as I've ever found.
Old Slashdot: Here's how to build your own crystal radio
New Slashdot: Company invents wireless radio. You need it. Go buy it.
9. Can be used at work and school without being disruptive to those seeking quiet nearby.
When I am away from home, I most certainly do.
Now the real question is: Who are those dorky and/or ghetto looking people you sometimes see in public with the bulky over-the-ear headphones?
not sanitary
They are as sanitary as the wearer. If yours are filthy, perhaps you should pay more attention to your personal hygiene.
crappy sound
Mine sound better than most people's studio style headsets.
fall out of ear
There is a reason they come with multiple sized tips.
no bass
Again, mine have more bass than most people's studio style headsets.
no soundstage
Running out of excuses? You're repeating yourself. This is exactly the same thing as your whine about sound quality and/or lack of bass. Yet again, my earbuds sound better than most people's studio style headsets.
SOOO easy to cause to hearing damage
No more easy than any other type of headset.
By the way, my earbuds aren't some super expensive Sennheiser or Bose models, they're a pair of $30 JVC HAFX1X which have served me well almost daily for the past six years and show no signs of wearing out.
Don't forget the spare set of 20 D cell batteries for when the first set run out after 30 minutes. Oh and the cardboard too so you can get your breakdance on no matter where you are.
1) Hurt my ears where they wedge in after 2 minutes, negating any and all other positive points.
No, you audition musicians, not equipment.
NXP has been supplying this technology to the hearing aid industry since 2008. It's used to stream from ear to ear and from a bluetooth device around the neck to ear. For instance, Phonak's HiBAN is a NFMI system, ~300kHz bandwidth around 10.6 MHz. Only problem is people really don't like having to wear the streaming device:
http://www.phonak.com/content/dam/phonak/gc_hq/b2b/en/products/accessories/compilot/_documents/Datasheet_Phonak_ComPilot.pdf
1) You seem to be shoving them in entirely too far
i had a pair of those as well, the sound was good, battery good, water proof status - excellent. But man, they were uncomfortable. I tried all 3 of the included ear buds, and they'd either fall out on a whim, or make my ears so sore I couldn't wear them again for a week. Finally gave up on them and went back to my non-water proof Motorola 'Buds' (with predictable, shorted out results.)
Gave the plantronics to my sister, who has no such issues with the fit; so perhaps I was just unlucky.
Who The Fsck would use anything else?
Because that's the way that GSM phones operate.
In order to achieve Full Duplex operation, it receives for half the time, then transmissions for half the time.
These transmit data bursts result in a deeply Amplitude modulated RF envelope.
This is why you hear Brrrp, Brrrp when you put your GSM phone near a pair of cheap loudspeakers.
I shouldn't need to expand upon point 6, but you seem to need it:
6. Might, depending on personal preference, be more comfortable. Or, might not.
I hope that was helpful. This message brought to you by the letter "A".
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Maybe you think so. But my remarks were pretty straightforward. Especially compared to true audiophile nonsense, the kind where the listener thinks he can hear the purported acoustic qualities of Monster Cable.
I said that fit is important for isolation. I said that headphones sound more open. I said that some earbuds are decent.
Is that pretentious? Or is it that I used the word "audition" --- which is the right word, but whatever?
5. Can passively cancel ambient noise without looking like Princess Leia.
Aaaand, that's where you lost my attention.
Mine sound better than most people's studio style headsets.
Again, mine have more bass than most people's studio style headsets.
I'm not sure what you mean by 'studio style', typically in a studio you want a flat clear response and not the distorted sound you get from your typical hi-fi. (Aka, bass heavy in the HAFX1X case)
By the way, my earbuds aren't some super expensive Sennheiser or Bose models, they're a pair of $30 JVC HAFX1X which have served me well almost daily for the past six years and show no signs of wearing out.
Perhaps I'm a snob, but I'd never buy a headphone that has "XX Xtreme Xplosives" on the packaging. There's a few brands that make worthwhile in-ear headphones in the $200+ range that are quite decent. I'm not sure what you mean by 'super expensive', Sennheiser IE800 costs $700-800, IE80 around $200-300, but from other brands you can get even more expensive in-ear headphones meant for audio engineers, musicans ect.
Do they sound better (including your $30 vs $200+)? Yes. Is it worth buying a $800+ over a $200+ in-ear headphone? Probably not. $200-300 is something I can easily spend on making life more enjoyable.
As for Bose.. they make ok headphones with active noise cancellation for air travel, wouldn't touch them with a long stick for anything else.
For audiophiles there is a special spray can with gold dust, that makes the wifi signals sound much better. Just spray it around your head, when you are using the earbuds.
-- Make America hate again!
Didn't you mean "Wednesday was when Willy Waterloo was wetly washing Warren Wiggins who WAS washing Waldo Woo while wildebeests wandered widely"?
rgb
Even when the experts all agree, they may well be mistaken. --- Bertrand Russell.
It's a direct rip from Dr. Seuss's "The ABC Book", so I'm not authorized to change it :)
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
But I had three more points! Oh, drat.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
This is where image support would make this place so awesome:
http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/dZqAEV0...
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
I "try" a new bread by ingesting a loaf of it. It doesn't get any more intimate than that!
Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.
Ah, but you "audition" a brand new loaf of bread by tenderly squeezing it, then smelling its subtle aromas, then becoming physically intimate with it.
Sam
Then why were you whining about "no bass"? And yes, my earbuds are a bit bass heavy, but it doesn't drown out the highs or mids. I use a studio style headset (JVC HA-SZ2000) when sitting in front of my PC at home, but on the go my earbuds are fantastic.
Studio style headset meaning over the ears style. Most people's (bolded, since you seem to miss that distinction in the previous post) studio style headsets are crap compared to my earbuds.
Agreed. I recently had a discussion with my cousin, the most qualified person I know to make statements about audio quality, and even he agrees that all of this audiophile terminology, super expensive gear and purported golden ears are just BS. He's a doctor of music from USC who plays with the LA Philharmonic, so it's funny when some audio "snob" comes along and tries to argue with him.
It's the difference between sitting in a car and going for a test-drive.
Don't you mean going for an "audition" in the car?
You really don't see why this sounds pretentious? Probably everyone here has test-driven a car. Even a crappy car costs more than the most expensive headphones. Headphones - little speakers that go on your head. You test them. They can only do one thing, so when you say you tested them, it is unambiguous. "Audition" is some marketer's invention, and your use of it can sound either pretentious or it can make you sound gullible. It's definitely not the appropriate word to use if you aren't looking for odd reactions from people uninfluenced by audiophile marketing.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.