Jamco to launch personalised sound zone technology next year

Aircraft interior products supplier and turnkey integrator Jamco will be creating a personalised sound zone (PSZ) experience for commercial aircraft in collaboration with NTT Sonority, an organisation affiliated with telecommunications company NTT Group.

The patented PSZ technology, currently in the R&D phase, will enable embedded speakers located in each individual headrest to create a sound zone that surrounds the passenger’s head area, allowing only the individual passenger to hear audio without the use of headphones. The passengers will be able to control the volume and sound settings from their speakers.

The sound is contained to the ultimate level and will not disturb neighbouring passengers. This is all possible without the use of headphones and, unlike standard wearable devices, the passengers can hear in-flight announcements. The technology also allows flight attendants to communicate with passengers without the inconvenience of having to remove their headphones.

The next-generation in-flight audio experience aligns with the airline industry’s sustainability goals, removing all drawbacks of headphones such as wires, cleaning and maintenance for reuse or disposing of them, and is targeted to be launched in 2023.