Japan-based Sanyo is set to release a truly unique mobile phone. Instead of emitting sound through a speaker, the TS41 uses your skull to transmit the incoming call. The technology, called bone conduction, is the latest innovation in data communications and is being developed for finger wrist phones, headsets and now mobile phones. Sanyo claims it will be the first to release a mobile phone based on the new technology. Available initially in Japan, the TS41 will be offered by network provider Tu-Ka towards the end of this month.
The TS41 uses a clamshell design and weighs 98g. Similar to most high-end consumer mobile phones, it comes with two LCD monitors: a 1in. 64x64-pixel colour screen (16-bit) on the outside of the case that display the time and notifies you of incoming calls, and a main 2.1in. 176x132-pixel colour (16-bit) screen that is used for configuring and operating the phone. As expected, the TS41 supports 40-voice polyphonic ringtones. It also delivers up to 140 minutes of talktime and 400 minutes standby time.
Sounds are transmitted to the ear by vibrations in the air, but also by vibration of the bones in your skull. This is called bone conduction, and for some people needing hearing aids it was the best way to transmit amplified sound. Bone conduction devices had been tested since the 16th century and the first practical one was the 1879 Rhodes Audiophone, which used a vulcanite fan to pick up air vibrations and transmit them to the teeth. Electric bone conduction hearing aids appeared in 1923 and were a major improvement. Today most bone conduction hearing losses are corrected surgically.
The most unusual feature of the TS41 is the way that you can hold the TS41 to your face to hear a conversation. Similar to electric bone conduction hearing aids, it works by using bone to conduct sound waves. In other words, when you hold the TS41 against your cheekbone, the phone's vibrations are transmitted through your skull to the bones in your inner ear. They vibrate in turn, just as if they were under the influence of a sound wave and send signals into the brain accordingly. Sanyo claims bone conduction technology makes sounds easier to hear, especially in a noisy environment. Some may be pleased to know that the flip phone can also be used in the traditional way, if preferred.
BIOS, Dec 16, 03 | Print | Send | Comments (0)
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