We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
SKY DEUTSCHLAND, THE German unit of TV provider Sky, and an advertising company called BBDO have invented an insane new technology that broadcast ads directly into people’s brains.
It uses something called “bone conduction technology” which transmits sound to the inner ear by passing vibrations through the skull, reports the BBC’s Leo Kelion. That makes it seem like the sound is coming from inside your head.
Sky tested it with a campaign called the Talking Window where they attached a special transmitter to the windows of a train. When passengers leaned against the window to nap or rest, they heard a voice urging them to download the Sky Go smartphone app.
A video of the Talking Window was shown off at the International Festival of Creativity in Cannes last month and posted to YouTube. Not everyone was thrilled with the idea.
“Bad to the bone. No place to rest your weary head. A sleep deprivation technology. It should not be permitted on public transit,” one commenter wrote.
According to the project’s website, Sky has big plans to roll out Talking Windows. Here’s the video of Talking Windows in action:
via noris100/Youtube
- Julie Bort
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Suspect cases of schizophrenia are gonna go through the roof
A totally invasive technology. This should be banned.
You can’t even have a sleep on the train now with out someone annoying you.
Definitely ,It is the nearest thing to brainwashing.Very dangerous.
Someone in London said “I was just thinking as I trudged down the stairs of the tube, looking at people with their advertising cover wrapped newspapers, the slanted adverts going all the way down the escalator, the adverts on the whole inner side of the tube platform, the adverts in the tube carriage themselves, the advertising lifestyle supplements shoved in my face as I exit the tube, and the adverts on the buses stuck in traffic in the road, that I what I really need in my life is more adverts.”
Was great travelling se Asia to not be bombarded by adverts. I know a lot of those that are there are in Thai or whatever so u do tune out but in general there are a lot less ads and pressure to impulse buy stuff/food u don’t need. Here it’s just manic.
No, I’m not fkn bored, I’m fkn tired! I’ve had a shit day. Now p**s off and leave the overkill on advertising to Ryanair or I’m just going to have to applaude you for “”another “on time” train”"!!
That’s the start of it now…
They had the same technology in those kids toothbrushes that was inaudible but when they brushed they could hear music. That was years ago
Ahh, no. Those worked by a quiet, but audible, sound being emitted when enough pressure was put on the brush.
I’m pretty sure I saw this in an episode of Futurama!
Possibility we are now fuked…. No escape from modern madness……
Nein danke!
They can f**k right off!
This happened in a Batman movie. ..it did not end well.
Sleep walk the people into getting bank loans they do not need they have it really sussed now
You don’t need technology to do that. Greed will do it for you
Ha ha, it’d be great for the Nitelink, wake you up for your stop etc
As crazy as this seems, it’s just like hearing it over a speaker.
The problem would be when you can’t tell if it’s your voice or another persons. Marketing will fund a way to do that eventually.
Been there, done that. It’s called TV and it zombified millions…
Dumb idea.
We have social welfare to feed the poor.
It’s used by deaf people and the military also as shown in the video. Or by underwater divers or people in high noise environments.
Would be annoying though if you just want to go to sleep.
Sinead, my brother, Emmet, is deaf and I can promise you the last thing he needs are ads on train windows. Amazing technology, yes, but jesus christ, use it to help people!! Not for military purposes and not for advertising $hit to make more money for shareholders.
The military is where we get a huge amount of our advancements in technology.
The jet engine, nuclear power, two-way radio communication, night vision, GPS/Satellite navigation, digital photography, the internet..to name but a few.
@Niall I don’t think you understand, this technology is not for deaf people to get ads off a train window. They adapted a technology used to help those who are deaf or used for military purposes to create a new ad medium.
Please, Jordan, don’t underestimate me. I completely understand exactly where the technology came from, how it was developed, how it’s used and why! It doesn’t change the fact that it’s intrusive and is the last thing that any commuter (deaf or not) needs or wants. Do people not already pay enough for their bus/train/plane tickets without being subjected to unwanted advertising on the journey? Next thing we’ll be back to first class “premium” tickets, whereby we pay extra to avoid advertising. What the hell are we allowing the world to come to?
What are we allowing the world to come to? One of the often heralded Michael OLeary’s quotes -
“Anyone who thinks Ryanair flights are some sort of bastion of sanctity where you can contemplate your navel is wrong. We already bombard you with as many in-flight announcements and trolleys as we can. Anyone who looks like sleeping, we wake them up to sell them things.”
I do think that yes it is intrusive but I doubt we could see this for some time. I reckon this is a publicity stunt, a very innovative one at that. You also should remember that we may pay for our tickets but advertising will keep the costs lower.
@Sinead that’s one of many reasons I don’t fly Ryanair.
Sinead, I’m not even going to get into that debate now. “The military” as you say it, refers to the American military and nothing else. Most if not all of their developments over the last century have either been stolen (from the Germans, Russians etc) after WW 11, or bought at a massive price from private inventors. The very technology that enables our mobile phone signals today was invented by a female movie star, and her then partner, in the early forties, and scoffed at by the “military” only to be implemented by private companies and sold back to the “military” later. So I wouldn’t be so quick to dedend them, excuse the pun.
World war 11!… Damn, I missed the other eight!…
Apparently my auto correct missed 9. Have you been to the future? How does the third one work out? :)
So, are these my thoughts?
Do they involve parting with cash in return for a product?
I’ll tell you what I think, or will I?
Hang on, I’ll move over to the window….
…..right. Fire away.
I feel the need to give you cash.
If I want your opinion I’ll give it to you;)
Excellent. In return I will provide a product you only think you want.
Opinions do not necessarily represent that of the listener / accosted ;-)
Or a product I could only dream of wanting…
At last I can have a Guinness in my sleep!
Nope… you can be convinced, in your sleep, that you want a guinness!
Good luck. It’s bad enough having to look at those bloody Sky ads on the telly.
That’s just creepy
Could this not be some sort of cure for deafness?
Who’s gonna walk around with a train window stuck to their head? – get a grip man.
Hahahahahahahaha……. my god dude, I swear I snorted my last mouthful of beer out through my nose at that. Still giggling like a schoolgirl here. What a comment! Massive respect ! :D
Nothing revolutionary here, this is old technology. Want to sleep, use your coat as a pillow and you won’t even hear the slight hum.
Amazing technology
Scary more like. Remember this is being used to sell you shit not feed the poor.
Doesn’t change the fact that its amazing technology.
Ah ! Just what we’ve been waiting for – more progress, fantastic news everyone !
If they beam that lucozade ad into my mind I’m quite sure I would become a serial killer
Maybe it could be used to help me with my nutrition biochemistry, then I could hear the lecture again while I sleep after a day at college.
Someone will invent an insulating “window pad” for susceptible morons and charge high prices for it!
Ah lads and lassies, it’s just a viral add for Sky.
Disappointment – it’s only audio!!
Was doing that with the help of a ladybird book, a transistor radio, a coil of wire and a magnet when I was 12. :(
Pictures would be cool. Advertisers dream up ads and we dream them down – cut out the middlemen.
:)
I like the cut of your jib, Nydon! Now there’s some forward thinking!; ) Problem is, though, that we’d probably end up having to pay some kind of, annual, brain licence charge then, (imagine the inspectors and the fun you could have winding them up!) and RTE would be transmitted into your head whether you liked it or not. 24/7 fair city on RTE “Brainplayer”?? I thank you kindly sir but I must decline your generous offer.
Brain washing absolutely insane. We should have one for politicians and bankers. ‘Jail Yourself’ ‘Pay Back’ ‘Stop Cheating’
Shouldn’t this be as illegal as those subliminal messages they tried out in the 70′s?
They have this at Gitmo.
This isnt good.Advertising serves no one.
Commercial application for mk ultra.
Headline- Disgusting company has disgusting idea
This is awful.
Ze Germans will brainwash the world
Imagine what Virgin would broadcast :) Dirty thoughts…
have your say