MIT’s (Massachusett’s Institute of Technology) Lincoln Laboratory has developed a technology that uses lasers to vibrate moisture in someone’s ear, resulting in a whispered message. This works based on a “photo-acoustic effect in which water vapour in the air absorbs the laser’s emission causing it to vibrate at an audible frequency”. This has been tested to be the first laser that is harmless for both the skin and eyes. It has so far proven to work from several meters in distance, and directs the information directly into someone’s ear. There has already existed technology that sends sounds in a narrow field with the use of speakers or ultrasound, but this method requires the listener to be a short distance from the source. On the other hand, technology based on a laser provides an advantage that it can be utilised at a much longer distance.
The possibilities of this technology are boundless. This includes private uses like being able to communicate with someone privately and efficiently, but also for government and army uses which require very secure channels for transmitting confidential information. In the future in may provide opportunities for disabled people who are blind, mute, deaf or suffer from other diseases that may be restricting. However, this laser also has both drawbacks for all people, and advantages for companies. It is said that this will be utilised for sending advertisements directly into people’s ears. It may seem like a very effective method to be used commercially, but for the receiver, that would be annoying and something unavoidable. Nowadays ads are everywhere: YouTube, Spotify, games, newspapers, TV, social media, etc. and now it might be taking a step directly into our brains. How will this be regulated, controlled, or avoided? Me personally, I detest ads and I always skip them when I have a possibility or I simply find ways to avoid them. These days they have become extremely persistent with them turning on during every video that I play on YouTube, when I watch TV, go to the cinema, read news online, or play a game on my phone. Companies always find newer and more effective way to advertise, but for something like this to enter into a person’s ear unannounced would be completely out of hand.
The idea of talking to someone using telepathy sounds cool, but I don’t think that it’s worth it if it’s commercial use is the consequence for this. Although this is not exactly telepathy, but it is the closest that humanity has gotten to that, and one day in the near future, it may become a reality.
Sources:
https://www.sciencealert.com/new-tech-from-mit-uses-lasers-to-beam-whispers-only-you-can-hear
MIT Has Created Special Lasers That Are Able To Broadcast Secret Whispers For Your Ears Only
I personally think that the idea is really cool and can be very useful when using as you said in army or for government. That can change the way they secretly communicate and definitely improve it. It can also prevent many scandals connected with secret data dropouts.
However, when was reading about the commercial use of this I was frightened! It will be so annoying and distracting, because living with ads nowadays is so exhausting! Constant supply of commercials can really change our psyche and brains. What if, later on, advertisements will be customized according to our personality and secretly supplied by this technology when no one except of us can hear it? That sounds really terrifying and I wouldn’t like to future look like this.
I personally can’t believe (or maybe don’t want to) that this device could be used to communicate advertisements straight to our ears! I guess it should be regulated the same way as some of the existing laws concerning moderated advertising in cities, which serve against aggressive over-advertisement. However, if it concerns the technology itself, I am very optimistic about it and truly think that government and army will make the most out of it.