NTT Sonority Inc., a member of the wider NTT Group, recently announced it developed an entirely new type of earphone that enhances user safety and comfort. The earphone, which uses a technology called the “Personalized Sound Zone” (PSZ), marked the entrance of NTT — the global IT giant heavily invested in fundamental research, telecommunications, and emerging technologies — into the broad world of consumer electronics. The launch was announced while NTT Research hosted the 2023 edition of its Upgrade Reality Summit in San Francisco, California — an annual NTT event that features the group’s several arms showcasing various innovations and technologies that will help to power the future.
With the announcement of NTT Sonority’s new wave maker (nwm) audio brand, the company is now staking its claim in the industry. The wireless earphones weigh only about 3.4 ounces each and NTT Sonority claims that each features a lightweight, open-ear design that maximizes comfort, eliminating the pressure and vibration of bone conduction earphones, so users can enjoy wearing them for the entire day.
“The NTT Sonority nwm earphones achieve this goal through the product’s PSZ technology that enhances user safety and comfort by locking the sound of the device in a 360-degree space within a few centimeters from the ear. This enables the user to listen to the sound emitted from the earphones as well as ambient sounds in their environment simultaneously,” notes the company in its press release.
How the PSZ technology works
Developed in November 2022 and powered by PSZ, NTT Sonority’s nwm audio brand creates an optimal sound experience, giving a sense of sound immersion, comfortability, and connectedness different from any product on the market today. But what exactly is the PSZ technology driving this new immersive experience, where users can have their “own sound zones,” according to NTT Sonority — and how does it work?
Image Source: NTT Sonority
“The PSZ technology enhances user safety and comfort by locking the sound of the device in a 360-degree space within a few centimeters from the ear. This enables the user to listen to the sound emitted from the earphones as well as ambient sounds in their environment simultaneously — all without disturbing others. Unlike conventional audio-listening solutions, NTT Sonority’s PSZ earphones allow users to more easily multitask or maintain conversations with family, friends, or colleagues while listening to music, podcasts, videos, ambient sounds in nature, and more,” a company spokesperson says.
In other words, these earphones allow users to listen to audio without impeding their ability to hear the surrounding sounds. Think about someone walking on the road with today’s conventional earphones plugged into their ears. How easy would it be to hear the honk of a car horn? That’s usually almost impossible. Many have suffered gruesome accidents this way because they were unable to hear the sounds around them. NTT Sonority’s earphones tackle issues like that.
So, the earphones — according to the company — don’t just aim at guaranteeing comfort, but also safety. Although users don’t have to plug them directly into their ears like conventional earphones, they are assured of getting the best immersive sound experiences. NTT Sonority describes it as “high-quality audio for all your daily life,” giving you the power to “hear only the sounds you want to hear.”
The company says there are several use cases of the PSZ technology, including but not limited to:
- Aircraft – “With the PSZ technology, we are developing aircraft seats that provide a more private acoustic space in the aircraft, and automobile seats that allow different audio playback for each user to improve comfort in the automobile without using earphones or headphones.”
- Teleworking – “With this technology, you can hear your child’s voice while teleworking, ensuring you are able to cater to them in case of an emergency. In addition, you can enjoy your audio without worrying about disturbing family members or roommates and respond to phone calls and requests from family members.”
- Jogging, walking, commuting across town – “Remain aware of your surroundings, including surrounding traffic conditions and oncoming cars and bicycles, while enjoying your audio.”
- Simultaneous real and online multilingual international conference – “Providing simultaneous interpretation that allows you to participate in conferences without time lag.”
Commercial release
Image Source: NTT Sonority
The company commercially released this technology — which it describes as “the world’s first open-ear PSZ technology that locks audio into a small, individualized space” — on March 27, 2023. Crowdfunding for the wireless model nwm MBE001 on-ear speakers equipped with PSZ technology also began the same day on Indiegogo, a platform for “launching new and groundbreaking products.”
Led by Managing Director and CEO Hiroshi Sakai, NTT Sonority was established in September 2021 “to create a new lifestyle by providing an unprecedented level of comfort in the acoustic space through cutting-edge audio signal processing technology.” The company’s three main technologies “sort, confine, and pick up specific sounds to provide the optimal audio for any business or user.”
