Sphere of influence

The headphones are designed to accurately mimic the way we hear sounds in real life. The product combines proprietary 3D audio algorithms, head-tracking and the ability to calibrate to each user’s anatomy to create a greatly increased sense of audio space. This means the soundscape alters in relation to the position of the user’s head, making sounds appear as if they originate from a fixed point.

The technology is designed to make content feel more immersive by increasing the listener’s sense of presence, adding authentic surround sound to films, for instance, or letting you hear your favourite band as if they were live. The headphones add the most benefit to gaming and virtual reality experiences, however, allowing users to respond to audio cues beyond their field of vision. This makes the audio element of virtual reality as responsive as the video. At the time of writing, OSSIC X had already raised £1.3m ($1.9m, €1.7m) on Kickstarter, well over its £70,335 ($100,000, €88,650) target.