CES EXCLUSIVE: Panasonic Creates a New Way to Listen to Music

Recently Panasonic has unveiled a new type of headphone which is unique to the portable music experience.  The name of these headphone are the Panasonic RP-BTGS10 Bone Conduction Headphones.

What I found remarkable about these headphones is that they do not sit inside on top of the ear canal, but rather right in front of it.  This allows “vibrations [to] move through the bone directly into the auditory nerve, producing crystal clear sound,” while allowing outside noises to be heard as well.  This is great for working in the office, or jogging, or driving car, where hearing a phone ring or a car horn is critical.

On top of it, the headphones receive audio signals not by a wire connection, but wirelessly.  They are made of sweat resistant technology for those like me whose ears get hot while listening to music.  Another cool feature is that people who are hard of hearing can sync them to their T.V.

For more information, please see the Press Release below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PANASONIC ANNOUNCES WIRELESS BONE CONDUCTION HEADPHONES TO THE 2013 PRODUCT LINEUP

State-of-the-Art Technology Allows Users to Hear Music Through Sound Vibration

Las Vegas, NV (January 7, 2013) – Panasonic, a leader in consumer electronics technology, today announced the Panasonic RP-BTGS10 Bone Conduction Headphone model for the 2013 line-up of headphone products. This unique, wireless headphone model provides sound transmission via bone conduction, freeing up a user’s ears for other important sounds and are wireless to ensure they don’t interfere with active users’ activities. To provide sound transmission, the Panasonic RP-BTGS10 headphones sit directly in front of a user’s ear canal, instead of inside or over the ear canal, where vibrations move through the bone directly into the auditory nerve, producing crystal clear sound. With placement outside the ear, the Panasonic RP-BTGS10 headphones have the ability to free up one’s ear drum giving users the opportunity to hear their favorite music while still listening to the outside world. This is especially convenient for use in the office or while jogging or cycling as it allows users to listen to their favorite music while still hearing the voices of colleagues, the ring of a telephone or the beep of a car horn. The Panasonic RP-BTGS10 headphones are also equipped with a bone conduction microphone, which will allow a user to record voice notes or take telephone calls while listening to their music. Like the headphone unit, the microphone picks up spoken sound via bone conduction, based on the vibrations of a user’s voice. For active users who tend to sweat, the Panasonic RP-BTGS10 headphones are drip-proof due to the unique product design which is void of air holes in the earphone. The sleek product design rests comfortably on a users head and while staying secured in place. With wireless headphone technology, users won’t have to worry about accidentally pulling the headphones from their head or long cords tangling. Additionally the headphones allow the elderly or hard-of-hearing to hear television clearly without turning up their TV speakers to loud levels as they work with televisions equipped with Bluetooth® transmitter. “Panasonic has always been a leader in sound-quality and innovation and with the new RP-BTGS10 Bone Conduction Headphones, we are taking our headphone offerings to the next level of technological and sound advancement,” said Tom Hanston, Product Category Manager, Panasonic Consumer Marketing Company of North America. “The RP-BTGS10 model will be an ideal companion for sport enthusiasts including cyclists, joggers, runners and more, allowing them the freedom and flexibility of a wireless headphone while also giving them the opportunity to listen to their favorite music while not blocking out other outside sounds.” The Panasonic RP-BTGS10 Bone Conduction Headphones are now on display at 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show, Panasonic booth #9406 / 9806 and will be available Fall 2013 in a variety of colors. Pricing and retail availability will be announced approximately one month prior to ship date.