←back to thread

Teach yourself to echolocate (2018)

(www.atlasobscura.com)
246 points Anon84 | 7 comments | 16 Nov 24 22:43 UTC | HN request time: 1.214s | source | bottom
Show context
pkoird ◴[17 Nov 24 02:53 UTC] No.42161620[source]▶
Here's an idea, use a (portable) ultrasound emitter device that sends a pulse every set second and use an earpiece receiver that produces equivalent acoustics in audible range. The setup may reduce "tongue-fatigue' and the ultrasound will travel farther and can reflect off smaller objects. Would be an interesting experiment if nothing else.
replies(2): >>42161760 #>>42164018 #
1. bezmiran ◴[17 Nov 24 03:26 UTC] No.42161760[source]▶
I suspect it would be a very challenging problem for the earpiece part to recreate the directional info as well as our own ears, since the brain's ability to detect the direction of sounds depends on the shape of the ear itself.

Maybe a simple mechanical clicker device like those used for dog training could be a useful tool.

replies(3): >>42161810 #>>42161815 #>>42162625 #
2. zafka ◴[17 Nov 24 03:40 UTC] No.42161810[source]▶
I have one of these - purpose built for blind people to use. Pretty sure I picked it up at a NFB convention in Atlanta around the turn of the century. (NFB = National Federation of the blind)
replies(1): >>42161814 #
3. mmooss ◴[17 Nov 24 03:41 UTC] No.42161814[source]▶
How well does it work?
replies(1): >>42164932 #
4. laborcontract ◴[17 Nov 24 03:41 UTC] No.42161815[source]▶
Seems like a fun use case for spatial audio on the airpods.
5. gniv ◴[17 Nov 24 07:42 UTC] No.42162625[source]▶
If the wavelengths are not far from audible, wouldn't it be mostly a translation?
6. zafka ◴[17 Nov 24 16:12 UTC] No.42164932{3}[source]▶
I will get back to you on that. I just found it in my desk. I myself am sighted, and have never used it for echo location - yet. Looking at it I realized that it was given out by my old employer: Blazie engineering. Coincidentally, I just ran into the founder recently. Next time I see him, I will ask him about the feedback he got on these clickers. I will say that after twenty years in a drawer it sounds good to my uneducated ears.
replies(1): >>42180955 #
7. 31carmichael ◴[19 Nov 24 07:57 UTC] No.42180955{4}[source]▶
please ask them if this or any others were commercially available. Thanks!