Skip to main content

Active Noise-Canceling

In this episode - Active Noise-Canceling . . .

During a recent flight, with a baby wailing, I realized I had forgotten my noise-canceling headphones and wondered how they work. Have you noticed the constant background roar of jet engines during a flight? Probably not if someone was trying to comfort a squalling baby in front or behind you.

Anyway, noise reduction headphones, also known as Active Noise-Canceling (ANC) headphones, use advanced technology to reduce or eliminate unwanted ambient sounds. Using hardware and software components to counteract external noise and provide a more immersive listening experience and a quiet environment.

Here's a simplified overview of how noise-reduction headphones work:

  • Microphones: ANC headphones are equipped with one or more built-in microphones. These microphones capture the surrounding sounds and convert them into electrical signals.
  • Noise analysis: The electrical signals from the microphones are analyzed by the headphone's internal circuitry. The goal is to identify the frequency and amplitude of the ambient noise.
  • Reverse sound wave generation: Once the noise is analyzed, the ANC system generates a sound wave in the opposite phase to the ambient noise. This reverse sound wave is known as an anti-noise or anti-phase wave.
  • Combining sound waves: The anti-noise wave is combined with the original ambient noise wave. When the two waves meet, they interfere with each other in such a way that they cancel out or significantly reduce the overall sound level.
  • Output to the listener: The resulting sound, with reduced ambient noise, is output to the listener through the headphones' speakers. This allows the user to enjoy their audio content or eliminate the jet engine sounds, allowing them to sleep.

It's important to note that noise-canceling headphones work best for blocking constant, low-frequency sounds like engine noise, airplane cabin noise, or air conditioning hum. They may be less effective against sudden or irregular sounds, such as human voices or high-pitched noises. 

Additionally, the effectiveness and performance of noise-canceling headphones depend on the quality of the ANC technology, the number and placement of microphones, and the overall design. Although different manufacturers may use slightly different approaches to achieve noise reduction, most ANC headphones operate on similar principles.

So my next question was, “Who invented active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones?”

Active noise-canceling (ANC) technology for headphones was developed by a team of engineers led by Dr. Amar Bose, the founder of Bose Corporation. In the late 1970s, Dr. Bose was on a flight and noticed the significant amount of noise generated by the aircraft engines. This inspired him to explore ways to reduce unwanted noise and improve the audio experience for listeners.

Dr. Bose and his team conducted extensive research and experimentation to develop the first practical active noise-canceling headphones. They filed a patent application for their invention in 1978, which was later granted in 1986 (US Patent No. 4,545,982). The patented technology outlined uses multiple microphones, phase inversion, and electronic circuitry to cancel out ambient noise.

Bose Corporation introduced its first consumer ANC headphones, the Bose QuietComfort series, in 2000. These headphones gained popularity for significantly reducing background noise and providing a more immersive audio experience. Since then, ANC technology has become increasingly widespread, and many companies have developed versions of noise-canceling headphones based on the principles established by Dr. Bose and his team.

When flying, remember to pack your ANC headphones. As a side note, you can purchase headphones from vending machines after passing airport security if you forget yours.

I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

Paris – the End of Silence

✈️  In this special episode: Paris – the End of Silence Sometimes, connection arrives in the most unexpected form—not through grand gestures, but through a quiet voice carried by technology. In a Paris apartment, I finally understood my family’s words . . . and felt my mother’s presence in every sentence. Since I was a little boy, France has been both a beautiful and frustrating paradox in my life. Every six to nine years, my mother, Mauricette, would take my brothers and me back to La Rochelle to visit our French family. The moment we arrived, the air would fill with a sound I loved but couldn’t share in—the rapid-fire, musical rhythm of French. My aunts, uncles, and cousins would warmly sweep me into hugs and kisses, their words flowing like a lovely melody I couldn’t quite catch. I’d smile brightly, trying to communicate with my eyes and hands. But as soon as we stepped off the plane, my mother and her sister-in-law, Joséan, started talking animatedly. They were gone, chatting h...
2 comments
Read more

Noirmoutier: An Ocean Between Us, Gone in a Moment

In this episode, Noirmoutier: An Ocean Between Us, Gone in a Moment. Sometimes love waits half a century for its moment — and when it finally arrives, time doesn’t stand still; it disappears. The moment I stepped off the train in Nantes, it felt like time froze. There she was — my cousin Michèle — waiting on the platform, arms waving desperately. When we finally embraced, the fifty years that had passed between us disappeared in an instant. The melody in her voice was the same, but softer than I remembered. We both shed tears of joy that only come from love long overdue. “I’m so happy you are here,” she whispered, her voice trembling.   Thank goodness for the translation app on my phone, because the conversation began immediately — fast, fluid, and unstoppable. The Frenzy of Catching Up As we drove for about an hour to the tiny town of L’Épine on the Island of Noirmoutier, the words kept tumbling out. Michèle and her husband, Alain, are the most gracious hosts — but my new challe...
1 comment
Read more

Patience – the Only First-Class Ticket

In this episode, Why Patience is the Only First-Class Ticket They say travel broadens the mind. After eight days sailing the Rhône with 140 fellow luxury vacationers, I can confirm it also tests patience, calf strength, buffet strategy, and one's tolerance for people furious that France insists on being French. Don't get me wrong—I adored this trip. The river shimmered like liquid optimism. The villages looked hand-painted. The pastries could negotiate world peace. But somewhere between Ship Horn Hello and Bon Voyage, we'd inadvertently boarded a floating behavioral research study disguised as a holiday. Our ship was less a cruise and more a ferry for the Sailors of Status. ⌚ The Wristwatch Wars Some passengers approached relaxation like yogis. Others treated leisure like a final exam with extra credit. I came to believe certain luxury watches emit ultrasonic signals that only their owners can detect. A frequency calibrated to trigger rapid movement toward any line forming...
1 comment
Read more

Our Journey to Avignon

🇫🇷 Lost in Transition: Our Journey to Avignon (Part 1) When everything that can go wrong—does—sometimes grace still finds you. Our Monday morning trip began on the quiet island of Noirmoutier , where salt marshes and sea breezes whisper of simpler days. From there, our early morning drive was uneventful; we arrived at the Nantes station with plenty of time to spare. From Nantes to Paris Montparnasse, everything went smoothly—so we thought, until it didn't. That's when things started to unravel. If you've never traveled the Paris Metro , imagine a vast underground maze pulsing beneath the city—corridors twisting into one another, trains roaring in and out of the dark, staircases that rise and fall like riddles. It's efficient, yes—but only if you know where you're going. We had over an hour and a half to make our next train to Avignon —plenty of time. Or so we believed. We needed to reach the Gare de Lyon station, where our TGV (high-speed train) was headed south...
Post a Comment
Read more