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  1. Home
  2. Research
  3. Prism
  4. Acoustic Holography Speakers

Acoustic Holography Speakers

Phased-array transducers that sculpt focused audio beams and 3D sound shapes in mid-air
Back to PrismView interactive version

Acoustic holography speakers arrange hundreds of ultrasonic transducers and apply phase delays so interference patterns sculpt audible sound fields in mid-air. By dynamically steering the beams, the system can paint discrete audio zones, sweep sonic shapes across a room, or wrap visitors in spiraling effects without traditional loudspeakers. Some installations combine beamforming with head tracking so the sweet spot follows a moving listener, while others integrate with smell or light cues for full multisensory control.

Museums and themed attractions use acoustic holography to stage overlapping stories in the same gallery without bleed, while automotive OEMs add it to cabins so each passenger hears personalized media or translation feeds. Broadcasters experiment with “audio AR” sets where analysts stand inside invisible sound cones, and immersive retail builds whisper channels that trigger only when customers approach specific products. Because the arrays can also generate mid-air haptics at higher amplitudes, choreographers pair them with volumetric displays for synesthetic performances.

Deployments (TRL 5–6) still require calibration expertise and safety modeling to ensure prolonged exposure stays within guidelines. Standards bodies like AES are drafting measurement practices, and companies such as Holoplot, Tactile Labs, and Ultraleap are productizing turnkey content toolchains. As costs fall and content suites expose spatial-audio scripting that targets acoustic holography, expect the tech to power intimate storytelling zones in museums, transit hubs, premium retail, and mixed reality stages.

TRL
5/9Validated
Impact
4/5
Investment
3/5
Category
Hardware

Related Organizations

Holoplot logo
Holoplot

Germany · Company

99%

Manufacturer of 3D audio beamforming systems, famously deployed at The Sphere in Las Vegas to target sound to specific seats.

Developer
Ultraleap logo
Ultraleap

United Kingdom · Company

95%

The world leader in mid-air haptics and hand tracking, formed from the merger of Ultrahaptics and Leap Motion.

Developer
Audioscenic logo
Audioscenic

United Kingdom · Startup

90%

Develops 3D audio beamforming technology that tracks the listener's head to deliver binaural sound without headphones.

Developer
Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR)

United Kingdom · University

90%

A leading research center at the University of Southampton specializing in sound zones and array signal processing.

Researcher
Noveto logo
Noveto

Israel · Company

90%

Creators of 'invisible headphones' technology that beams ultrasound pockets of sound directly to a user's ears.

Developer
d&b audiotechnik logo
d&b audiotechnik

Germany · Company

85%

German audio company offering 'Soundscape', a system for object-based audio reproduction and acoustic emulation.

Developer
Focusonics logo
Focusonics

Lithuania · Company

85%

A brand of Neurotechnology that manufactures high-precision directional ultrasonic speakers.

Developer
L-Acoustics logo
L-Acoustics

France · Company

85%

Creator of L-ISA, an immersive hyperreal sound technology that uses object-based mixing and spatial audio processing.

Developer
Meyer Sound logo
Meyer Sound

United States · Company

85%

Professional audio manufacturer known for the Constellation acoustic system which electronically alters room acoustics.

Developer

Supporting Evidence

Evidence data is not available for this technology yet.

Connections

Hardware
Hardware
Ultrasonic mid-air haptic displays

Phased ultrasound arrays that create touchable force fields in mid-air for hands-free interaction

TRL
3/9
Impact
3/5
Investment
3/5
Hardware
Hardware
Lightfield Projection Systems

Projector arrays that emit direction-specific light to create glasses-free 3D scenes with parallax

TRL
4/9
Impact
3/5
Investment
3/5
Applications
Applications
Holographic Telepresence Platforms

Life-size volumetric video calls in dedicated pods with depth cameras and LED walls

TRL
4/9
Impact
4/5
Investment
4/5
Hardware
Hardware
Holographic Light-Field Displays

Glasses-free 3D displays that reconstruct light fields for natural depth perception

TRL
4/9
Impact
4/5
Investment
4/5
Hardware
Hardware
Electromagnetic Haptic Arrays

Tiled coils and magnets that create touchable textures in mid-air above flat surfaces

TRL
5/9
Impact
3/5
Investment
3/5
Applications
Applications
Spatial Audio Broadcasting

Object-based audio pipelines that preserve 3D sound metadata from studio to listener's device

TRL
7/9
Impact
5/5
Investment
4/5

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