Inventor patents laser microphone

It seems folks are just incessant in the quest to create new kinds of microphones, with a California-based inventor patenting the latest attempt in the form of the sure-to-be-Mini-Me-approved laser microphone. While most venues have those run-of-the-mill mics -- which typically enlarge diaphragm size to increase sensitivity -- David Schwartz thinks he has a better idea for picking up even the slightest peeps without introducing distortion. His device will reportedly stream damp air containing microscopic water particles through a tube, while a laser diode beams light through the vessel onto a sensor located on the opposite side. When sound waves enter the tube, the vibration of the droplets will cause the sensor to detect changes optically as the beam is disturbed, supposedly resulting in near-perfect vocal reproduction. While confident that the setup wouldn't induce wild fits of feedback, Schwartz's invention would presumably cost a pretty penny, and would likely only make a difference to those professional karaoke singers out there anyway.

[Via New Scientist Tech]

[Evan @ Sep 25th 2006 7:46PM]

This technology will more likely find its home in sports arenas than recording studios. It's not enough that hockey player's skating is louder on television than it is sitting in the the 3rd row in the stadium, soon we'll be able to hear the player's breathing on tv! (That is, if the water vapour doesn't freeze!)

[HughJass @ Sep 25th 2006 7:50PM]

"damp air containing microscopic water particles"
Rather redundant, is it not?

[Alex Paris @ Sep 25th 2006 8:30PM]

LOL@ jass

[nes @ Sep 25th 2006 9:03PM]

awesome!

[meatzmrdr @ Sep 25th 2006 9:34PM]

Ever share mics with someone? There's no shortage of moist damp air! Maybe the laser could burn off some the saliva.

[seabasstin @ Sep 25th 2006 9:35PM]

Me thinks that quite a few Gov orgs will find this all quite refreshing in their snooping arsenals, especially LA NSA...
I think that any kind of optical sound pickup device will be rather effective in spying.

[Cade @ Sep 25th 2006 10:15PM]

Whoa....dude...i'm telling you, it can /see/ the music, man.

[TimB @ Sep 25th 2006 10:20PM]

I think this guy has missed the ball completely. Noone wants perfect vocal reproduction. Lots of times you specifically choose a mic that is "colored" because that's the sound you're going for.

Sometimes people really do want a transparent mic, so I guess if the price is *reasonable* then it might find its way into studios, but I doubt they'll use it as a vocal mic.

[teodoro @ Sep 26th 2006 8:16AM]

Tim,
There are many of applications where a perfect reproduction is necessary beyond your limited "studio" environment you've given. One such would be in nature recording or language learning. The better the recording, the better the analysis.

[John Stracke @ Sep 25th 2006 11:01PM]

I just want one simple thing: sharks with microphones on their heads.

[SoreThumb @ Sep 25th 2006 11:16PM]

On the bright side, I think that this mike may be beneficial for people who want crisper audio recording in the studio. Filters and audio editing programs can get most of the "color" from older mikes (not all, of course!)

On the upside, we can get better microphones and better microphones, but at what point will they finally have the power and feeling of a live performance? I hope this is a large step towards that goal.

[Yanis @ Sep 26th 2006 12:45AM]

This reminds me of a mike design from the 30s (1930s that is). It used a stream of inflamible gas which was modulated by a diaphragm which was in turn vibrated by the sound waves. There were two probes in the gas flame and the resistance between the probes varied in response to the gas flow.

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Sep 26th 2006 4:51AM]

Something similar (laser beam reflected from glass) was used by USSR/USA during Cold War times as spying tool.

Also I've hears that similar microphones - ones producing no EM waves - are in wide use even now, since standard mics can be easily detected. Though I do not know construction of such mics, but I expect them to use idea similar to article's one.

[strider_mt2k @ Sep 26th 2006 8:00AM]

I slipped with the prototype and lost my tonsils.

The ice cream was worth it though.

[mroach @ Sep 26th 2006 8:09AM]

The first thing I thought of when I saw this is the Ruby Rod character from The Fifth Element. He had a laser mic.

http://linked.mroach.com/ruby.jpg

[William @ Sep 27th 2006 9:33AM]

What about something like this on Cell Phones.