homehome Home chatchat Notifications


You've been waiting all your life for this -- a device that literally cancels snoring

Aptly called the "Silent Partner", this device exploits the fundamental physics of pressure sound waves to render snoring mute.

Tibi Puiu
June 15, 2016 @ 5:41 pm

share Share

Aptly called the “Silent Partner”, this device exploits the fundamental physics of pressure sound waves to render snoring mute. Just plug it to both nostrils of your partner, or yourself why don’t you, and kick back for a relaxing night.

altered states

The device is effective from distances as close as 8 inches. Credit: Silent Partner

Although snoring is very annoying, it’s still basically just a sound. This means we can cancel it. You might have seen this sort of technology at work in so-called “noise-canceling headphones” which apart from the speakers, also have a microphone. This microphone listens to the environment, then the cans emit  this signal with the same amplitude but with an inverted phase. It’s like summing the negative and positive of the same number — you effectively get zero, and the only thing you hear is the music you play back.

The Silent Partner works under the same principle of “subwavelength active noise cancellation”. The device has two thumbnail-sized perturbances which go into the nostrils, connected by a bridge. Together, these listen for signature snore sounds, and not other sounds like talking, then emits a counter sound that cancels out the original snores. The sound is purely acoustic, so there are no vibrations that might wake up the snorer.

About one in four Americans are regular snorers, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Snoring is caused by a variety of reasons, from poor muscle tone to an obstructed mucus.

Silent Partner has faired very well with the public. The startup unveiled its plans on IndieGoGo where the team asked for $40,000 to kick start production. They’ve exceeded their goal by 655 percent as I’m typing this.

It’s important to note that this device only treats the symptoms of snoring. For best results, you should fix the causes. Some quick tips include losing weight, avoiding tranquilizers, alcohol or sleeping pills before bedtime, and try not to sleep on your back.

share Share

A Woman Asked ChatGPT for a Palm Reading and It Flagged a Mole That Might Be Cancer

A viral TikTok recounts the story of a young woman who turned to ChatGPT for love advice but received an unsolicited medical advice instead.

This School Was Built from Sugarcane Waste. It Might Change Construction Forever

Bricks made from sugarcane waste have constructed a school in India — and are building new vision for construction.

Japan Plans to Beam Solar Power from Space to Earth

The Sun never sets in space — and Japan has found a way to harness this unlimited energy.

Everyone else’s opinion is secretly changing yours (and that's huge for disinformation)

Public opinion may be swaying you a lot more than you think.

Magic Mushroom Use Is Soaring in the U.S. With More Americans Turning to Psilocybin Than Cocaine or Meth

Use is up across all age groups, with rising poison calls and shifting perceptions

Plastics that melt in the ocean offer new hope for cleaner seas

One day we can say goodbye to microplastics.

A Forgotten Civilization in Peru Buried Its War Dead Like Heroes and Now We’re Finally Learning Who They Were

Battle-wounded skeletons and ancient textiles offer new clues about the lesser-known Chuquibamba.

Giant Planet Was Just Caught Falling Into Its Star and It Changes What We Thought About Planetary Death

A rare cosmic crime reveals a planet’s slow-motion death spiral into its star.

These Male Octopuses Paralyze Mates During Sex to Avoid Being Eaten Alive

Male blue-lined octopuses paralyze their mates to survive the perils of reproduction.

These 400,000-Year-Old Mammoth Tusks Carved by Early Humans May Be the Oldest Evidence of Prehistoric Intelligence

Ancient tusk fragments hint at early social learning 400,000 years ago