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Yarra 3DX soundbar uses an app to shift the audio sweet spot
Our latest audio demo at CES 2018 came from Comhear's highly-anticipated first consumer device, the Yarra 3DX. While soundbars claiming audio superpowers are a dime a dozen, the Yarra 3DX has been through two successful crowdfunding campaigns (on Kickstarter and Indiegogo) on the strength of its beamforming chops. With a DSP tied to each of its 12 33mm drivers, the company says this speaker is capable of delivering binaural audio precisely to listeners and can create up to three audio sweet spots, all controlled via its app. We got a peek at the Android version of the app, which can be used for beam selection, presets and more. With a simple slider, the operator could shift the audio focus around a virtual room, and switch the speaker between near or far-field operation.
Samsung is helping Sennheiser bring 3D audio to Android
When Sennheiser unveiled the first earbuds to use its Ambeo 3D audio technology, it limited them to iOS users. Are they ever going to come to Android? Yes, apparently -- with some help. Sennheiser has revealed that it's partnering with Samsung to bring Smart Surround's binaural, recording-based sound to Android devices. The company's Andreas Sennheiser says the collaboration is necessary for "credibility." South Korea is "one of the most technology-savvy countries," he says, and makes an ideal testing ground for new hardware. We'd add that Samsung is also the dominant Android phone maker, so any support from its side virtually guarantees a solid foothold in the market.
Sennheiser Ambeo headphones record your surroundings for better audio
Binaural audio replicates the natural listening experience for a user. It captures the soundscape as it's heard by human ears. When played back, it creates an immersive audio experience that has been acknowledged as a significant component of virtual- and mixed-reality experiences. But the technique hasn't made a mark on everyday listening experiences yet. Movies, games and music are still widely experienced in stereo sound.
ReNu is an acoustic kit that sends calming vibes to your brain
Millions of Americans live with chronic or episodic anxiety. While technology has become one of the main contributors of that stress, it also has the potential to provide the solution. The market for stress-reducing technologies has been booming for a few years. NuCalm, from Solace Lifesciences, was first introduced in 2010 as a drug-free, stress-intervention system that moderated adrenaline levels in the body. The technology, which was adopted in clinical settings such as dental clinics over the past few years, now has a consumer headset version. At CES today, the company introduced ReNu, a stress-management kit that induces a deep slumber through a proprietary software.
Google's developing spatial audio for Cardboard
Google's Cardboard division, which oversees development of the VR platform and its associated software, announced on Wednesday that it is updating the platform's SDK to allow developers to integrate "spatial audio" into their apps. Spatial audio -- aka 3D or binaural audio -- is designed to shift between channels depending on the user's head position to create more immersive audio. Cardboard's new SDK will not only allow devs to determine the relative position of sounds but also emulate their material and size -- all while doing so on a smartphone's CPU. [Image Credit: Getty]
Pzizz, now free and on the iPad, helps you get to sleep
Pzizz is an app designed to help you get in a good power nap or get to sleep. For years, it's actually been two apps, one called Energizer (for power naps) and one for Sleep (for, well I think you can guess). The apps use a combination of a soothing voice with binaural tones to help you get to sleep. Binaural Tones (or beats) are a type of audio recording where different frequencies of sound are played in each ear, the resulting difference creating a beating tone phenomenon, which, it is believed, influences brainwave activity. There's some controversy and disagreement over how much of an effect they really have but I've found that the power naps really work for me. I've actually been using Pzizz for years, long before it was an iOS App. Granted, back in those days, I either had to have my laptop within earphone-cable-length of my bed or I had to generate my "naps" and push them to my iPod. Nowadays, I can lie down with my iPhone close by, hit start, and get in a nice power nap. I've never really used it for getting to sleep at night mainly because falling asleep with earbuds leads to my rolling over, and getting an earbud pushed into my ear and waking up in discomfort or even pain. But naps are generally on my back and 20 or so minutes in length and not an issue. Pzizz Energizer and Pzizz Sleep have been replaced by Pzizz. It is also now a universal app running natively on the iPad for the first time. This new app is also free, unlike the paid earlier versions and combines both Sleep and Energizer (now "Power Nap") as modules within the app. Using Pzizz is quite simple. You choose which module you wish to use, Power Nap or Sleep, and then choose the settings you want for each. The default settings are a great place to start, especially if you are new to the whole concept. As you get used to using the app, you can experiment with the other settings. The settings include: Length: How long you want Pzizz to play. For Sleep,it will quietly end and for Power Nap it will bring you back to wakefulness through the voice, the music, the binaural beats, and if those aren't enough, it will play an alarm after the end just in case. Voice: Both modules share a master switch to turn the voice on or off and Aurora 3D, which provides a more 3D sound to the entire experience than just regular stereo. Power Nap has an additional setting for Suggestions, which adds helpful hints throughout the nap rather than just playing the beginning and wake up sections at the start and finish. In general, I suggest starting with the voice turned on. Later, when you are an old pro at using Pzizz, you may find you do not need the voice. I personally still use it even after all these years. Volumes: You can change the relative volumes of the voice and the music to suit your personal tastes. Alarm: For Power Nap, you can opt to put an alarm on in case you are worried you will not wake up from your nap. For Sleep, the app suggests you use the built in alarm in the Clock app on your device. The rest is straightforward: put your device in airplane mode so you won't be disturbed, hit play, relax and enjoy your nap or your night's sleep. I am a big advocate for the power naps. When I hit the afternoon coma, a quick 20-minute nap does wonders and gives me the mental energy and focus to get me through the rest of my day. Pzizz is a free universal app for iPhone and iPad. It requires iOS 7.1 or higher.
The Popinator voice-activated popcorn launcher: because greasy hands are just so 2011 (update: yep, may become a product)
Before you ask: it looks like the real deal. Popcorn, Indiana has decided that it's just too much trouble to reach into that bag or bowl and has devised the Popinator, quite possibly the world's only smart popcorn launcher. A binaural microphone array on the machine's front listens for a clear "pop" command -- say the magic word and the Popinator will aim one of its many corn projectiles at your mouth, no hands required. We're still working to glean all the details, such as whether or not the snack delivery vehicle will be a commercial project and how much money it would take to install one at home (and, we'll admit it, the Engadget offices). In the meantime, you can hop past the break to catch one of the most appetizing and laid-back promo videos you've likely ever seen. [Thanks, Peter] Update: Popcorn, Indiana has answered back and says the Popinator is currently an in-house project, but it may well become something you can buy if everything lines up. We'll let the full statement speak for itself: "All we have to say is: it is a work in progress right now. We certainly hope that one day it will become a commercial project, but as of now there is no shipping date and no price tag. It is purely a fun internal project we are toying with here at Popcorn Indiana. Based on the very positive responses we are getting online, we think this is well worth looking into as a commercial product."
A fistful of apps: WideNoise, Labyrinth 3D, Penalized, Pure Sleep, Army Knife
Instead of rounding up 16 apps in one review, I'll just tackle five. Links from the title of the app take you directly into iTunes and the App Store.WideNoise measures the noise in an area (using the mic on an iPhone, of course) and registers that online with your location. WideTag will show you regions of loud and quiet on a global, interactive map. My area shows "feather" because I took a recording in an empty house. The app looks like a prop from Fallout, with distressed metal and an analog meter, and I found the readings to be comparable to Decibel, which I've reviewed before. This might be good for finding quiet places in urban areas, provided people take the time to use it. I'm not sure $1.99 will have this flying off the virtual shelves, either.Wooden Labyrinth 3D is exactly that, the classic game of a metal marble in a wooden, moving maze. We've seen several iterations of these on the store, but I think this version nails it. The physics are superb, the 3D is flawless, and the soundtrack is relaxing and pleasant. Plus, unlike real-world versions, you don't have to keep dozens of wooden mazes around -- there are several themes in the game which lead to several puzzles in each theme. In short, you're looking at a wide range of gameplay in this one app. My only complaint is one of organization: I would have preferred groupings based on difficulty, or some way to know how hard a level is before launching it. Is it worth $2.99? Considering the polish and replayability, I'd say yes. True, there are freebies out there, but none match the elegance of this app (and some which cost more aren't as good).Penalized is billed as an "adult" party game, but it's a bit less provocative than you might think. There's no explicit adult content, this is merely hinted at. The game is a series of challenges, like "Impersonate Ray Charles" and if the player can't perform the challenge, they must be penalized somehow. The adult part is in the penalty, so removing a piece of clothing is an option. So is chopping a cord of wood, you know, adult stuff. Penalized does include a lot of challenge cards in 6 categories, but the $1.99 may seem a bit much. Especially if you carry around a deck of challenge cards in your pocket already. This is also something you could cook up with TileStack, I think.Keep reading for Pure Sleep and Army Knife, two apps I use on a daily basis.%Gallery-45973%
Otokinoko Binaural Mic creeps us out in stereo
Look, we get what they're trying to do here. The two "ears" are meant to capture sound in stereo in the same way a human does, therefore producing a better sound picture in playback. The only problem is that your subject, be they human, inanimate or a strange hybrid, is going to be so busy being freaked out by this set of blue ears that they'll forget to make any sort of "natural sounding" noise. Oh, and there's the little problem of the price: the Binaural Recording Mic from Otokinoko retails for $3,900 -- quite a bit to spend on a blue gimmick. We want.
