The article gets even better than that vague warning in the title. Basically it is about creating a sound that exploits a quirk of microphone tech: it creates a sound that microphones pick up, but humans can’t hear.
Here are the good and bad uses, as prescribed by New Atlas (I don’t totally agree on them):
Good Uses
- “keep confidential conversations from being clearly picked up by hidden listening devices”
- “thwart illegal audio recordings in movie theaters or music venues”
- “used in place of Bluetooth for wireless communication between Internet of Things (IoT) devices”
Bad Uses
- “be used to jam hearing aids”
- “keep phone calls from being made during criminal activities such as bank robberies”
I just want to think about uses and abuses of this tech all day long!
The article ends on a… hopeful note:
The scientists state that they are aware of such potential misuses, and are developing strategies to prevent them.