Ford has used the noise-cancelling technology in its Edge SUV range to design a dog kennel that offers pooches respite from loud New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Once microphones inside the prototype kennel detect the sound of explosions, a built-in audio system cancels out or significantly reduces the noise by emitting opposing frequencies.
Integral to the design was a high-density cork, which is ideal for soundproofing. The body also includes anti-vibration risers, soundproofed ventilation, and an automatic door.
In an Edge SUV, microphones pick up high levels of noise from the engine or transmission, which is then counteracted using opposing sound waves from the car’s audio system.
The noise-cancelling dog kennel is currently not for sale, but Ford says on its website that it “is the first in a series of initiatives – called interventions – that applies automotive know-how to help solve everyday problems.”
By using a demonstration from an adjacent category to make claims about its technology, Ford is cleverly amplifying its expertise without making any specific claims about its cars.
In a similar vein, Ford previously developed a cot called Max Motor Dreams to calm babies who only fall asleep in moving vehicles.
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