HyperSonic Sound
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Description
Hypersonic Sound [Ultrasonic Sound] is sound that transmits in a beam like a torch light at frequencies above 100 Mhz, rather than propagating in all directions like sound usually does. It is shaped and detectable in a narrow area in front of an Ultrasonic emitter.
Ultrasound is typically used to describe high-frequency acoustic waves up to about 100 megahertz and Hypersound is typically used to describe very high-frequency acoustic waves greater than 100 megahertz.
Uses
Hypersonic Sound has many uses, but as a new technology it has not been implemented in very many areas yet. Possible uses could be advertising directed at particular sections in a store, like announcing that apples are on sale to anyone who walks in front of them while someone a few feet away looking at the pears hears nothing at all. Using Hypersonic sound two people in a car could listen to different music without headphones. An automatic teller machine or a vending machine could send instructions directly to the person using the machine.
The US military is currently using Hypersonic sound devices developed by E. Norris as a non-lethal weapon in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.[citation needed]
History
The US government worked on creating Hypersonic sound for use as a weapon for many years unsuccessfully.[citation needed] Elwood Norris, owner of American Technology Corporation, announced he had successfully created a device which emits Hypersonic Sound in 2002. In December of 2002 Popular Science named Hypersonic Sound the best invention of 2002, beating out the Segway scooter. Commercial adaptation of the technology has still not occurred, leading to millions in losses by ATC. At about the same time Norris was developing his technology, F. Joseph Pompei PhD (MIT) developed a similar technology, which he calls Audio Spotlight. Pompei launched his own company, Holosonics, which claims to have sold more than 1000 of their "Audio Spotlight" systems.
Commercial applications are being developed for this device. Disney are reported to be amongst the first major corporations to buy into this for use at the Epcott Centre. (Source - ABC news August 21 2006) Hypersound amplification apparatus is named ‘HSS’ (Hyper-Sonic-Sound Technology) by American Technology Corp. USS Patent 6778672 filed on August 17 2004 describes an HSS system for using Ultrasound to direct distinct 'in car entertainment' directly to passengers in different positions as well as utilising the technology to shape the airwaves in the vehicle to deaden unwanted noises.