Apple has been researching how to make a small, wearable loudspeaker that would use beamformed audio to make it clearly audible to the wearer, yet not disturb anyone else.
Apple calls a newly-granted patent by the name, “Wearable Device with Directional Audio,” but it’s really “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” At heart, this is how to solve the problem of your entire Away Team plus enemy aliens hearing when your mother calls to ask if you remembered your coat, or why you forgot your Humane AI Pin.
“A wearable device can provide an audio module that is operable to provide audio output from a distance away from the ears of the user,” says Apple. “For example, the wearable device can be worn on clothing of the user and direct audio waves to the ears of the user.”
