Let’s Get Immersed: A Dive into Spatial Sound
I’m just going to lay it out for you – remember when we thought sound could only get as good as a pair of noise-canceling headphones? Or when you had to rearrange your entire living room to install a multi-speaker surround-sound system just to feel like you were in the midst of the action? Well, Dr. Marcos Simón, a former whiz from the University of Southampton’s Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, had a eureka moment in 2015 that’s been echoing through the tech world ever since.
The Vision of Sound
Riding on the coattails of AI advancements and camera upgrades, Simón, along with Audioscenic, a company co-founded with Professor Filippo Fazi, brought to life an idea that seemed far-fetched a decade ago: locating human ears in a room and directing sound right at them, without headphones. Welcome to the future, my friends.
A Sound Bar that Sees
The outcome of this innovation is something you can now purchase – the Razer Leviathan V2 Pro. This ground-breaking product is not just another gizmo for your collection, it’s an immersive auditory experience that manages to be both startling and amazing. Primarily aimed at gamers, it features a soundbar and a subwoofer. It boasts two spatial audio modes (Virtual Headset and Virtual Speakers) that use a mini camera on the soundbar to trace any head movement and tweak the output accordingly. This ensures that the listener is always enveloped in the optimal stereo soundscape, no matter where they move.
No Glasses, No Problem
Let’s shift gears to the Nubia Pad 3D tablet. The product addresses a common gripe with 3D entertainment: the nuisance of extra accessories like glasses or special cables. This high-end Android tablet seamlessly navigates between 2D and 3D worlds, with AI-guided face tracking that adjusts 3D pictures and videos for clear, sharp viewing from any angle.
Your Health Watch
Now, how often do you think about your health? If you’re like most people, probably not often enough. Here comes the MymonX, a wrist-worn device with a neat touchscreen interface. It uses AI to keep an eye on your health metrics such as heart activity, blood pressure, oxygenation, respiratory rate, temperature, sleep, physical activity, and even glucose monitoring. It’s like having a virtual doctor on your wrist.
Ebike Intelligence
Lastly, Acer’s ebii ebike is not just about cycling. It uses AI to provide power when needed based on cycling conditions and your technique. It even intelligently conserves power to ensure your battery doesn’t quit on you halfway through your journey.
The Future’s in Focus
Photography has evolved and AI is making it even better. The Sony a7R V DSLR camera uses an AI-driven processor to recognize human faces and keep them in sharp focus. Photography purists may scoff at the idea of AI easing the process, but the results speak for themselves.
Source: www.ft.com
