A Japanese electronics manufacturer has launched a soundproof microphone capable of muffling voices during phone calls.
mutalk, the wearable soundproof Bluetooth microphone from Shiftall, allows users to raise their voice or even yell during phone calls, without disturbing others in public settings. Another benefit of the device is that it will prevent other people from hearing confidential details during a phone call.
Shiftall’s Bluetooth microphone has been likened to a VR headset, apart from it fits around your mouth, rather than your eyes. It looks a little bit like a dog muzzle, making for quite an odd sight!
How does the soundproof microphone work?
When users of the Bluetooth device need to talk loudly when on the phone, they simply place the mutalk over their mouth. The device will then subdue their voice automatically. The mutalk can be connected to both smartphones and laptops.
There is an adjustable headband so that the wearer can easily fit it over their head and talk hands-free. The mutalk also doubles as a headset, coming with earphones that can be plugged in with a standard stereo jack.
A godsend for gamers?
Reviews are enthusiastic about the mutalk’s potential for gamers. It allows gamers to play hands-free, and because it muffles voices, it might appeal to the generation of late-night video game players who don’t want others in the house to know they are still up, playing Call of Duty. There is also an obvious advantage for office workers and other professionals who want to type when they are talking, while having a discreet phone call.
In its feature on the mutalk, technology site designboom said: “mutalk may suit gamers who have the awareness not to bother their roommates or neighbors at night when they get carried away with the game. It may also fit those who have the dire need to take conference calls in a quiet office or open space, such as a coffee shop. With the wearable soundproof Bluetooth microphone, Shiftall gifts a harmonious life for those who do not want to be bothered by anyone’s noisy business.”
Fully washable
What else is there to say about the mutalk? Not much, aside from the fact that the cushion and mouth pad on the devices can be taken out and washed with water. That means there won’t be an unhygienic build-up of gunk.
You can pick up a mutalk Bluetooth soundproof microphone for around $200 upwards. Shiftall, the mutalk’s Japanese manufacturer, also makes some other neat products such as high-resolution VR glasses and full body tracking devices for sport and activities.
Bluetooth and soundproofing
The mutalk isn’t the only Bluetooth device with soundproof-type capabilities.
AirPods – the wireless Bluetooth ear buds made by Apple – utilize active noise cancellation (ANC) technology. This feature is able to detect and counteract background noise, improving the audio experience.
ANC is especially good at cutting out low-frequency sounds, such engines or fans.
Learn more about ANC technology and AirPods in this article – Do AirPods Block Background Noise?
