News: The anti-vuvuzela device

According to Sapa, hearing-aid manufacturer Phonak recently announced that they had found a solution to protect international football reporters from permanent hearing damage caused by the constant noise of vuvuzelas.

Using technology originally employed by helicopter pilots, Phonak said they had customised a state-of-the-art protection system that would filter out the never-ending drone of the vuvuzelas.

Several prototypes have been sent to South Africa in order to be tested by journalists at the World Cup.

The system uses digital filters to electronically dampen sound within the range emitted by the vuvuzela. In the past these filters have been used by helicopter pilots, fire-fighters and industrial staff.

Because of its digital filters the system does not block out other sounds such as a colleague talking.

According to Phonak the combined noise of the crowd and vuvuzelas at a big match almost constantly exceeds 130 decibels, stating also that continuous exposure to just 85 decibels put people at risk of permanent hearing damage.

If the prototype proves successful and vuvuzelas take off in stadiums around the world, mass production of this system might be an option going forward.

The anti-vuvuzela device

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