A day without a mobile phone is practically unthinkable today. But what many do not realize is that our constant companion can become a tool for espionage by being used to eavesdrop on everything the microphone can record.
That computers and laptops must have good protection against potential intrusions is something that today is a given for corporate IT departments. But when it comes to mobile phones, which are constantly connected just like computers, it is not as obvious. Something that of course must change. Therefore, the electronics company Marenius has developed NoiseBox S1 – a box to place connected devices with a microphone in during your meetings.
– All mobile phones have a microphone and most also have a very good microphone. To achieve the best possible protection, it is therefore important that the difference between the noise level inside the box and the attenuation of the box is as great as possible. This is something we have worked a lot on in NoiseBox S1, says Martin Karlsson, CEO of Marenius.
Bult in Sweden
NoiseBox S1 is built in Sweden from FSC-marked wood and works by having built-in speakers and specially developed electronics generate a broad-spectrum acoustic noise. The noise effectively blocks the microphone in mobiles or other sound recording devices placed inside the NoiseBox unit. In this way, the phones can be turned on during confidential meetings without the risk of eavesdropping. –When we talk to our customers, we find that many do not understand that the phone can record sound via apps without the user being aware of it, says Jörgen Törnqvist, COO of Marenius.
Tested by Rise
NoiseBox S1 has been tested at Sweden’s research institute, Rise, where it received the following statement:
“Assume a worst-case scenario with a raised voice conversation/argument in a room at approximately 85 dBA (human shouting), it is extremely unlikely to record or distinguish what is being said in a similar recording inside the box when the masking sound is on and the box lid is closed. Note that normal conversations are around 60 – 65 dBA in sound level.”
– Martin Karlsson Jörgen Törnqvist