Sound barrier: iPhone app converts noise to music

London – SoundCurtain, a new iPhone application by FutureAcoustic, transforms noise pollution into comforting sounds. The application was developed by Royal College of Art design graduate Andreas Raptopoulos, who is also co-founder of FutureAcoustic. Raptopoulos is the lead inventor of the sound transformation technology, a3, which takes in noise via the iPhone microphone or iTouch headset and converts it into ambient music.

iPhone applications are big business: Sky+, Skype and NetPhoto are among those currently in the headlines, but SoundCurtain stands out because it solves a common problem while also providing entertainment. FutureAcoustic is further developing the application to make it compatible with other mobile platforms, meaning that noisy neighbours and hellish housemates could soon be a thing of the past.

Look out for our forthcoming report on the future of music.