Inventor Creates Soundless Sound System

Fri Apr 22,11:30 AM ET Technology - AP

By TYPH TUCKER, Associated Press Writer

PORTLAND, Ore. - Elwood "Woody" Norris pointed a metal frequency emitter at one of perhaps 30 people who had come to see his invention. The emitter — an aluminum square — was hooked up by a wire to a CD player. Norris switched on the CD player.

"There's no speaker, but when I point this pad at you, you will hear the waterfall," said the 63-year-old Californian.

And one by one, each person in the audience did, and smiled widely.

Norris' HyperSonic Sound system has won him an award coveted by inventors — the $500,000 annual Lemelson-MIT Prize. It works by sending a focused beam of sound above the range of human hearing. When it lands on you, it seems like sound is coming from inside your head.

Norris said the uses for the technology could come in handy — in cars, in the airport or at home.

"Imagine your wife wants to watch television and you want to read a book, like the intellectual you are," he said to the crowd. "Imagine you are a lifeguard or a coach and you want to yell at someone, he'll be the only one to hear you."

Norris holds 47 U.S. patents, including one for a digital handheld recorder and another for a handsfree headset. He said the digital recorder made him an inventor for life.

I dunno this thing could really f with people's heads. what stops someone from goin out in public and pointin this thing at random people just to mess with them?

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ohh yea - imagine having 'don't mind me - I'm just the voice in your head' that would be real funny to point at people

I can see the danger in it... I would assume that the range is WAY short - or the FCC would be up in arms already!

That doesnt really tickle my fancy now, be great to prank people with, but it just doesnt seem healthy!

Gives me a headache thinking about it!

I think it's awesome!!!

Just sitting here I could think of a million applications for it. (all for knocking off my wife and collecting the life insurance...oops...did I say that out loud???)

... I DEFINITELY see its merits... but like vin said, you could mess with peoples' heads...

but imagine if you will - the "silent" outdoor rock concert in the park?! (well... I guess people will still cheer...)

Or boss getting quality sound when he's riding his Harley?

what happens when spammers/advertisers get their hands on this? I dont wanna have to be walkin around with a sledgehammer to smash their "satellites"

Now tell me that wouldn't rock!. Actually jamming to Stevie Ray Vaughn while taking a lazy cruise through the mountains, and being able to hear the song clearly.

It would be funny though seeing somebody driving down the road on their bike, head a boppin, singing away.

So far all the pros, i like, But its the whole pointing things at your head, just doesnt seem right to me! I'll have to try it first!

thats scary now, what if the gov't makes something like that wit crazy range n put it on satillite, beamin on someone telling em to do stuff

or it can be useful, undercover police n stuff can use it n no one can hear it =]

Originally Posted by bossdragon

It would be funny though seeing somebody driving down the road on their bike, head a boppin, singing away.

I used to have this lawn tractor.... and it was senza muffler...

and the best part about mowing lawn was that I could sing show tunes at the TOP OF MY LUNGS and noone could hear.... that;s pretty impressive - ask anyone who knows me, I have a voice and a half... works well when you have the solo over a 30 person chior and the mics are frazzing... doesn't work as well when you have roomates and neighbors....

the worst part was that the mower had an alignment problem and I could NEVER manage those cool parallel lines you see in other people's yards... Bet the neighbors thought I was drunk.... singing (silently) at the top of my lungs and ziggyzagging all over the yard...

Let's consider the James Bond applications of this doodad..... I see subliminal messaging....

Originally Posted by jeaniesing

I used to have this lawn tractor.... and it was senza muffler...

Is that the music teacher coming out?
Senza vibrato??

i highly doubt they'll let this into the basic public.

Originally Posted by Mark

Is that the music teacher coming out?

"senza" is just a great term... it means "without" (for anyone who didn't click the word)


So...

there was an incident in the US capital today... seems someone in a Cessna (small, light, personal aircraft) flew towards the White House causing an evacuation of said building. The pilot did not respond to radio calls... a coupla f-16 (fighter jets) and a Blackhawk helicopter were apparently sent to 'turn' him.... and somewhere along the line a flare was shot to get his attention (I assume "he," saw the coverage a few hours ago, maybe more is known now)... dude came within 3 miles of the White House before he turned and landed. They showed lots of live footage of the plane being "parked" right alongside other personal aircraft - so it couldna been considered a real terroristic threat...

anyway...

I'm thinking "Gee, if that invisible sound system thing worked... they could shoot speech/warnings right into his skull"... What is this inventor doing calling it "sound system" equipment and why hasn't the government squirrelled him away under some mountain somewhere...

unless...

the technology already existed... hmmm?