Video: Sophisticated technology inside noise canceling headphones

Noise pollution makes it harder for people to concentrate, affecting hearing. A number of headphones have been developed that can block out the unnecessary noise of urban life, allowing the wearer to enjoy their favorite songs, posts, etc. So how do these noise-cancelling headphones work?

Video: Sophisticated technology inside noise canceling headphones Picture 1

There are two types of noise-canceling headphones: noise blocking headphones and noise-canceling headphones that use two different technologies.

Noise-cancelling or passive noise-cancelling headphones are a low-tech solution to protect your ears from unnecessarily loud noises. They are designed to fit the ear canal and are made from flexible materials such as silicone allowing users to wear them for hours without feeling uncomfortable.

But to hear something and still block out all the surrounding noise, users need headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC), which is much more advanced than noise blocking.

Noise-cancelling headphones are developed based on the principle that sound waves with opposite phases cancel each other out. They look like regular headphones on the outside, but inside are equipped with small microphones to pick up the surrounding sound and analyze it. From the collected data, the headphones figure out the amplitude of those sounds and produce a sound with the opposite phase. These two types of sound waves collide and cancel each other, helping listeners get rid of outside noises.

Some models of de-stabilized headphones also have a feature to select the level of sound blocking, so that the wearer can still hear the surrounding sound at a certain level.

ANC headphones have a lot of useful features, not only reducing background noise, but also reducing audio noise so that users can hear every little detail. ANC helps users stay focused in a work environment where it can be very noisy while also ensuring long-term ear health.

Noise pollution can limit a user's ability to hear, so many people often turn up the volume of what they're listening to. This causes damage to the ear. Research in 2021 shows that noise is the cause of about 1.7% of people worldwide with hearing loss. If used correctly, ANC headphones can help reduce this number. As you can see, ANC headphones are proof that even the most basic laws of physics can pave the way for ingenious design.

Micah Soto

Update 24 July 2023