This is interesting: Sennheiser recently announced a new microphone that uses an optical transducer; it translates acoustic sounds to electrical signals based on variations in light intensity. The mic is designed to function in environments where other mics can’t be used, such as in medical and laboratory situations where magnetic fields might disrupt sensitive equipment. It’s also ideal for measurement applications and “potentially explosive atmospheres.” (We’ll refrain from any comments or jokes about that last one…)
According to Sennheiser, “In the optical microphone, light from a light-emitting diode (LED) is directed onto a reflective diaphragm via a fiber optic cable (transmitter fiber optic cable). The diaphragm reflects part of the light into a receiver fiber optic cable. If the diaphragm is moved by sound signals, the reflected light beam is deflected, with the result that more or less light is coupled into the receiver fiber optic cable. At the end of the receiver fiber optic cable, a photodiode converts the light intensity variations into electrical signals.”
No audio or music applications are cited at this point, but who knows where this technological breakthrough might lead?
