Misson Impossible

Years ago when I was in graduate school I was fortunate enough to have access to what was cutting edge technology.  The school had a partnership with research facilities second to none and as a result we were able to see technology long before it went to market.  At one point a well known research facility came to the school and placed in the middle of the table a literal black box, perhaps 12”x 10”.  The scientists were rather excited to tell us this was a prototype of a digital sound processor.  These scientists were very hopeful that one day they could miniaturize this prototype to fit as a pack on one’s waist with a wire that would go to the ear attached to a mold to hear with.  This was eons ago in the world of technology.

A few weeks ago I was at an innovation summit for another unveiling of a digital sound processor.  The processor was so tiny it could fit into one’s ear canal with very little visibility.  More impressively this miniature processor, designed for hearing loss, was able to receive a wireless signal from one’s television or other audio device with no other wires, cables or other attachments. These hearing devices are now miniature wireless custom ear phones.  More impressively they have an iPod like remote - soon to be released with a touch screen - that allows one to connect via blue tooth to the telephone but also allows the other party to hear you through the custom devise in your ear, all hands free and hidden away,  primarily invisible to the casual observer.  This technology, that at one time seemed only imaginable in fiction, now exists in reality.

Mission impossible has now become possible.  What the next ‘black box’ prototype will be capable of one can only imagine.