Cone of Silence 2.0
Engineers at MIT have recently filled a US Patent Application for what they call “Distributed Acoustic Conversation Shielding System” intended to protect privacy in open spaces like large offices. The idea is not new, yet the distributed approach of the sound sources, Joe Paradiso et al believe, will make the difference.
Instead of the single source sound masking system commercially available today, this solution could dynamically detect listener, talker and potential eavesdropper and accommodate a distributed sound pattern accordingly. Even let a conversing group move around a room, and still remain in a secure sound bubble.
An array of sensors and speakers in a WSN aids in producing a mix of white noise and randomized office hubbub, such subtle and confusing sound then makes the conversation unintelligible for the potential eavesdroppers.
The original paper with an introduction to the system is available here and a shorter description here
Also a recent article in the New Scientist has more details.
