The signal can also be used to send communication between Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as an Amazon Echo or Google Home, which would reduce the growing load on Bluetooth — the primary way IoT devices communicate. The signal could protect users from unauthorized recording when communicating with voice-activated systems.
When conversing, the inaudible signal translates to white noise in the microphone to prevent unauthorized microphones from recording voices. Because it’s inaudible, it would not interfere with the conversation. Military and government officials, for example, could secure private and confidential meetings from electronic eavesdropping. Cinemas and concert venues could prevent unauthorized recording of movies and live performances.
There may be ways to misuse this technology, however. Inaudible sound jammers could affect someone wearing a hearing aid because the internal microphone would pick up that sound. Also, the sound could be used to jam all phones trying to make calls. Like all techniques, inaudible sounds can be used in different ways, but with the knowledge of how it can be used negatively, the researchers can develop strategies to prevent it.
The sound’s frequency is designed and transmitted from ultrasonic speakers, but the microphone — the receiver of the signal — is not altered in any way. Off-the-shelf microphones will react in the same way to the signal. Since the signal can be received without modifying the microphone, the technique could be readily available to interact with smart-phones and other devices.
Can a deaf dog hear a dog whistle?
Some otherwise deaf dogs can hear certain frequencies such as a shrill dog whistle. If your dog is lucky enough to have this degree of hearing make sure you use this whistle and reward his response.
CS: They’re really good at hearing high pitches, which is common with dogs, that’s why a dog whistle works, and that’s probably because most dogs do also eat rodents—they can hear the rodents squeaking. … CS: Well that sort of makes sense also, you can hear them going in their little tunnels under there.
Will a dog whistle stop a dog from barking?
A dog whistle makes a noise that won’t disturb humans and won’t harm dogs, but the high frequency will annoy any pooch who can hear it. … It may cause more barking at first, but if the pup comes to associate their barking with the irritating whistle sound, they may eventually stop barking to avoid the noise.
$2500 Ultrasonic Microphone Lets You Hear Like a Cat & Dog
Its a metaphor for talking in a way that a small group of people hear one that is hidden below the surface message, said Kelly McBride of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies.
“The intended audience gets a message meaning one thing, while the rest of the audience sees and hears something else,” she said.
“…It’s the same way that a dog hears a dog whistle, but the humans can’t hear the dog whistle.”
Journalists are using the term a lot in cable TV media discussions, but also in stories. This past weekend, two different stories in the Sunday New York Times referenced ‘dog whistle’:
One mentioned it when describing President-elect Donald Trump’s flattering descriptions of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying it was a dog whistle to white supremacists who might favor Putin’s ideology.
Another was a story about teenagers – and how they communicate messages to one another – but not the older generation.
McBride said the term isn’t talking about short-hand stereotypes that politicians also use to define people or things.
“Short-hand terms are often coded, euphemistic terms. For instance ‘blue collar’ usually means white people without college education, while ‘urban’ often means poor and African American,” she said.
Some media such as conservative political blog Red State say ‘dog whistle’ is a liberal media term to slander conservative ideas. McBride said Red State has a point.
“It’s not a partisan concept at all,” she said. “But the only way that we are talking about dog whistles right now is to discuss conservative messaging.”
In fact, politicians from both major parties are known for using dog whistles in their campaigns. The most famous involves former President Richard Nixon. The Republican used the term “law and order” was a well-documented way to separate himself from the segregationist, George Wallace, but still speak to his followers.
And Democratic President Bill Clinton used the term “a new generation of Democrats” and “welfare to work” to speak to voters who believed that social safety net had become a little too cushy, McBride said.
And in the late 1980s, then Presidential candidate George H.W. Bush used the term “weekend passes” to reference the story of convicted murderer Willie Horton who was out on a weekend pass when he went off a violent crime spree as a way of speaking directly to people who were fearful of black criminals.
The car maker Subaru famously created an advertising campaign in the targeting lesbian buyers. In the 1990s, the age of “dont ask, dont tell”, one ad had the car at the top, two women at the bottom, and text that said: “It loves camping, dogs and long-term commitment, too bad its only a car. “
Another ad included s of cars with cheeky personalized license plates making reference to a gay TV cult icon and a famous gay resort town.
“These were ways of signaling consumers that most people didn’t notice,” McBride said. “But if you were part of the gay and lesbian community, you knew that ad was meant for you.”
