Hypersonic waves audible only when directed at you
Vito Pilieci, Canwest News Service
Published: Monday, May 12, 2008
OTTAWA -- After more than a decade of development, technology that directs a beam of sound straight into a person's eardrums is ready for prime time.
The new technology has attracted attention from critics who worry that it gives advertisers too much power to invade privacy when promoting their products.
Hypersonic sound technology aims to make blaring loudspeakers and broadcast marketing messages obsolete in stores and malls.
In December, the A&E Television Network used the technology on a busy downtown Manhattan street to promote its show, Paranormal State. The new program is about ghost hunters who investigate haunted locations, and people walking by an advertisement heard voices whispering, "Who's there? What's that? It's not your imagination."