#wary #noisecancelling #headphones
Noise cancellation: a technology that could be the solution to protecting our ears from noise pollution. But which is not without consequences.
Initially, the technology is indeed effective in reducing the noise level to which we are exposed. However, it does not allow you to choose which sounds are heard and which are removed. All are thus considered as noise.
However, not hearing the noises in our environment is not natural for our brain, recalls Australian researcher David McAlpine, hearing expert. In a situation of auditory deprivation, the brain would therefore change the way it processes sounds and people would then hear sounds that do not exist.
In interview with Radio New Zealand Last March, David McAlpine explained that our brain chooses to turn up its internal volume when the sounds it expects to hear are blocked. This is called increased hearing gain.
For example, a study carried out in the 1950s had demonstrated that people placed in a perfectly silent room reported auditory sensations similar to tinnitus. In a study conducted in 2012, 18 participants wore a plug in one ear for seven days. Of these, 11 temporarily developed ringing sensations in the ears.
Noise is essential for orienting yourself in the environment, adds David McAlpine. Even if we don’t pay attention to all the sounds around us, they are essential to understanding our environment and communicating better. Noise-cancelling headphones are therefore still a good option in a noisy environment, but it is best to turn them off when they are not absolutely necessary.
