South Korean handset manufacturer Pantech has introduced a new cell phone, A1407PT that transmits sound to the inner ear using vibration. When the Pantech A1407PT cell phone is placed against the jaw, the mechanical vibration from the phone is transmitted to the inner ear. As a result, you hear the other person on the phone perfectly. The system uses bone conduction technology to transmit sound and it represents a solution for using phones in noisy environments.

It is also a boon for the elderly or those suffering hearing loss for whom the use of conventional speaker phones is problematic.

It seems engineers are only one step away from developing a truly futuristic phone, which can be attached directly to the skull behind the ear, under the skin – as suggested by science fiction writer Robert Heinlein in his 1951 novel, ‘The Puppet Masters’.

The phone also features multimedia functions such as a built-in camera as well as a personal anti-crime alarm that can be activated by pressing and holding the “#” button. It is likely to be released in Japanese market by mid-November.

Written by Mahesh Chawla in Cellular