The sound of motorsports such as Formula One is certainly a distinctive one.
Not everyone enjoys the drone and roar of super-tuned engines, but for fans, the noise is an integral part of the race.
Now, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing have teamed up with audio tech company IRIS to produce a set of cutting-edge wireless headphones that aim to put fans closer to the trackside action.
The headphones were released in time for the British Grand Prix, which took place at Silverstone this weekend (on Sunday 2nd August).
According to IRIS, the patented audio technology built into the unit activates a flow state, which a press release describes as a ‘neurological mindset of complete focus whilst simultaneously being relaxed and engaged’.
Joydeep Bhattacharya, Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, carried out independent research on the system and concluded that listening to music via the technology ‘enhances the engagement and absorption of the music and provides more stimulation of the brain’.
IRIS aims to present recorded music that is as vibrant and fully formed as if you were listening to it live.
The tech aims to recreate the experience of ‘live’ sound
When you listen to live music, the sound waves essentially bounce off all the surfaces in the space and arrive at your ears as a complex collection of data that your brain then needs to process.
Much of this spatial information is lost in the recording process, while transforming the sound to a digital format can degrade it still further.
The IRIS system uses an algorithm to synthesise and restore the missing spatial parts.
This stimulates the brain, recreating the experience of live sound and leading to what the company refers to as ‘active listening’.
IRIS says that it is currently engaged with a number of researchers to explore other potential benefits beyond mere enjoyment of the audio, with studies looking at areas such as relaxation.
While the system is built for music consumption, it can also be used for other audio sources – such as that distinctive motorsport sound.
Christian Horner, team principal at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, said that the racing environment was one with ‘a vast array of competing signals’.
He added that the new headphones could provide listeners with the best possible clarity at an event.
Today’s news was brought to you by TD SYNNEX – the UK’s number one solutions distributor.
Read more of our latest Industry Updates news stories
