Researchers designed a way to deliver sound privately to one person in a crowd that does not require headphones

The bleeding edge: Imagine listening to music or a podcast without headphones while not disturbing others or having a private conversation in a crowded place with the assurance that only the intended listener can hear your voice. Scientists have developed a new technology called "audio enclaves" that could make this a reality by creating localized pockets of sound isolated from their surroundings. Directing sound to a specific location is difficult because of how sound waves behave. As vibrations move through the air, they spread out, especially at lower frequencies. This effect, known as diffraction, makes it hard to keep audio contained in one area, particularly with bass-heavy tones. Isolating sound frequencies is even more challenging. Specialized equipment, like parametric array loudspeakers, can direct sound vibrations to a specific point in a focused beam. However, those in the beam's path can still hear the transmission. Limiting the sound to only the targeted location is sti ... Read full article.