Jabra’s Intelligent Headset Gives Amazing 3D Audio to Help the Vision-Impaired

Jabra is taking about their Intelligent Headset at CES 2016. Right now it exists as a developer edition, but it’s worth getting excited about. It’s meant to provide 3D Audio identical to the way we actually hear without headphones on. This headset is adaptive, using real world information such as your location and head movement, along with multiple advanced sensors that will interact with apps designed specifically for them.

The most obvious and admirable application would, of course, be for the vision impaired. The Jabra Intelligent Headset is currently available only for developers, Microsoft, and UK Guide Dogs (see video embedded) with the intent of approximating real world sound for the vision impaired. At best, most headsets have some depth in their sound but lack pinpoint accuracy. This headset will allow the user to hear a sound’s directional location. You will be able to tell if it is coming from above or below, ahead or behind, or the sides, all derived from sensors. Sensors include a gyroscope, GPS, compass, and accelerometers.

Innovation like this is very exciting to see. Hopefully, the Jabra Intelligent Headset will help direct headset design across the industry. I almost wish I was a developer just so I could try them out. After some time, developers will release apps specifically designed for these headsets, hopefully setting off a firestorm of change across headsets, particularly with gaming consoles. See Jabra to keep a pulse on its development.