Apple patent application shows ‘earplugs’ to wear on clothing

A patent application from Apple has come out that shows a device for making and receiving sound. Users can wear it on their clothes, after which the device sends targeted sound to the ears.

By beamforming the sound from different speakers, the device protects the privacy of users, because others can hardly hear the sound, says Apple. The device would also have several microphones that by calculating the place where the sound comes from, listen only to the user and not to other voices.

The intent is that this solution eliminates the need for users to wear earplugs or headphones to hear audio. “Many audio headsets are a bit uncomfortable to wear and can limit the user’s ability to hear sounds from the environment. Also, communicating with others can be more difficult,” Apple said.

The application, which came out on Thursday and was submitted last year, names designer Daniel Podhajny as the primary inventor. He worked for Apple on technological applications, among other things, at clothing companies.

The drawing accompanying the patent application shows that the device can be worn on top of clothing, like a Communicator from Star Trek. It is unknown if Apple really wants to make the product. Companies like Apple file many patent applications, not all of which lead to a real product.