Soundscapes of the Future: Exploring Binaural Sound Technology | Blog Posts

Uncover the diverse frequencies of binaural beats and their profound mental effects. Learn recording techniques and maximize your listening experience. From meditation to productivity, explore its versatile applications. Delve into Intellectual Property in the world of binaural beats and a glimpse into its future trends. Join us in this odyssey of sound, wellness, and innovation.

As we embark on this auditory odyssey, the focus shifts toward understanding the nuanced nuances of each binaural beat frequency. From the serene waves that promote tranquility to the invigorating frequencies designed to heighten focus, we will dissect the spectrum to unlock their individual potentials. Additionally, this guide will offer insights into the considerations and precautions necessary for a safe and enriching experience with binaural sound. Whether you seek relaxation, enhanced productivity, or a pathway to deeper meditation, this comprehensive exploration promises to be your compass. Join us in this venture, as we unravel the harmonious convergence of science, creativity, and wellness in the captivating world of Binaural Sound Technology.

What are Binaural Beats

The word binaural indicates - “having or relating to two ears.” Binaural beats are the perception of sound created by your brain. A binaural beat is a brain delusion whenever a person simultaneously listens to two tones with little difference in frequencies. These two tones align with the brain wave, and the brain analyses these two tones as a beat of its own. It produces an auditory illusion of a third sound, a beat with a different frequency. The frequency generated is the difference between the frequencies of the two tones in hertz (Hz).

For example, if a person is listening to a 450 Hz tone with their left ear and a 457 Hz tone with the right ear, they would be hearing a 7 Hz tone. Whenever a person listens to binaural beats, their brain activity matches the frequency of the beat. This effect is known as a frequency-following effect. When the person hears two tones of slightly different frequencies simultaneously in one ear, the brain creates an auditory illusion of the third sound as the difference between these two tones. In short, a person can use binaural beats to entrain their mind to reach a certain mental state.

The five types of binaural beat frequencies

**Five types of Beat Frequencies** (Source: Brain waves)

For binaural beats to work correctly, the two factors should be taken care of: first, the frequency of the two tones should not be more than 1000 Hz. Second, the difference between them should be less than 30 Hz. When both ears hear a tone at a slightly different frequency, the brain tries to create the perception of a third sound. The creation of the third sound is caused by the same part of the brain that identifies the location of a sound. To hear the binaural beats, there should be sound coming from earbuds in each ear. If you remove the earbuds, then you will not be able to listen to the binaural beats.

Binaural beats can synchronize with your brain waves if sustained over time. As a result, the binaural beats can alter the activity of brain waves as well as your levels of arousal. This brain wave functionality is also known as brain wave synchronization. It is designed to put your brain waves into the same activity as meditating using traditional methods. Binaural beats can be created at different states or frequencies. Each frequency is associated with outcomes corresponding to different brain activity levels. There are five types of brain waves or frequencies that affect the binaural beats:

Gamma (γ) waves have the highest frequency between 30-50 Hz. This type of brain wave is associated with concentration, alertness, and problem-solving. Listening to binaural beats at gamma frequencies of 40 Hz improves memory, cognition, and even focus on establishing a good mood. With higher frequencies, the brain waves can help in:

Beta (β) waves: When the person is in a beta state of mind, the brain is more active and alert. The beat waves range between 13 and 30 Hz. The study has shown that listening to beta wave patterns improves mood and task efficiency. Some research shows that listening to binaural beats at 15 Hz improves memory and accuracy. On the other hand, higher levels of beta waves are linked with anxiety.

Alpha (α) waves: The alpha waves range between 8-12 Hz. It indicates a relaxed and restful mind. The brain is more focused and productive during the alpha state. The study shows that listening to binaural beats in the alpha form can increase creativity in a person.

Theta (θ) waves: Theta waves are the lightest stage of sleep during which the brain produces theta waves at a frequency range between 4 Hz and 8 Hz. These waves are associated with meditation and sleepiness. Listening to binaural beats at 6 Hz can create a meditative state. Theta waves are also associated with drowsiness and meditation. Studies show that listening to binaural beats at a 6 Hz frequency can induce a meditative state.

Delta (δ) waves: Delta is the slowest brain wave and lowest frequency state. These waves have a frequency range between 1 and 4 Hz. During the deeper sleep stages, the brain switches from theta to delta waves. In this scenario, dreaming can occur. When a person listens to binaural beats at delta frequencies, it helps them sleep better.

Advantages and side effects of binaural beats

The use of binaural beats therapy depends on different individuals. Some people may need it to improve their concentration or increase their meditation level, while others may need relaxation and help to decrease their anxiety levels. Everyone is different, and it takes some time for a person to determine which binaural beat frequency works for them. Moreover, it is freely available and safe to use. Some potential benefits of binaural beats include:

Boost confidence
Improves performance and mood.
Better long-term memory
Promotes creativity.
Helps in healing pain.

Decrease stress and anxiety levels.
Raise the upbeat mood.
Increase relaxation.
Increased focus and attention
Deep meditation state
Better sleep quality

Meditation is relaxing your mind and removing random thoughts that pass through it. Involving meditation daily helps in reducing stress and anxiety. It slows down the rate of memory loss and brain aging. It promotes mental health and improves attention. Though meditation has been proven beneficial, practicing it daily becomes quite tricky. Therefore, people have started looking out for technology. Binaural beats at frequencies between 1-30 Hz tend to create the same brain wave pattern that one would feel during meditation. When a person listens to a sound at a specific frequency, the brain waves will synchronize with that frequency. The binaural beats help create the frequency needed for the brain to develop the same brain waves required to experience a meditation phase. This process is sometimes referred to as brain wave entertainment technology. Listening to binaural beats is generally the same, with no significant side effects. There is a particular group of people that should avoid using binaural beats:

People with seizure disorders: Brain brainwave stimulation (increase or decrease) may activate abnormal neurological impulses.
People with heart problems: The binaural beats may affect heart rhythm.
Those who operate heavy machinery: Binaural beats can induce relaxation, which is not preferred during driving or using machines that require full attention.
Young Children: Their brains are still developing; hence, using binaural beats isn’t preferred.
Pregnant women: Women who are pregnant are still in the development stage and aren’t encouraged to use binaural beats.

How does binaural audio recording work?

Binaural beat therapy is a growing form of sound wave therapy. It ensures that the brain perceives a single tone when both ears receive a slightly different frequency tone. This therapy is recommended for dealing with anxiety and stress-related problems. This therapy is usually in the form of audio recordings that a person listens to on stereo headphones. This type of therapy is not part of the standard method but an additional treatment for stress and anxiety. Therefore, it is advised to consult the doctors before completely replacing it with traditional methods.

The brain identifies the two tones as a beat of its own. These two waves align with the brain waves to generate a tone with a different frequency. This frequency is the difference between the two tones. When a person listens to binaural beats, their brain activity matches the frequency set by the tone’s frequency. This effect is known as a frequency-following effect. Thus, a person can use binaural beats to push their mind to a particular mental state.

The superior olivary complex (part of the brain located in the brain stem) is the first part of the brain that processes input sound from both ears. The superior olivary complex is responsible for synchronizing various activities of neurons in the brain. It responds when it hears two frequencies and generates a binaural beat, transforming the brain waves. This synchronization of the neural activities around the brain is termed entrainment. It is related to binaural beats and is a standard part of brain functioning. According to some studies, listening to binaural beats can increase the strength of certain brain waves. It can increase or control different brain functions, such as thinking and feeling.

According to the 2015 Literature review, the tones should be at frequencies lower than 1,000 hertz (Hz) for the brain to detect binaural beats. The difference between the two tones should not be more than 30 Hz. The frequency difference between the waves entering the left and right ear binaural beat is the binaural beat that a person receives. For example, in the above figure, if the tone in the left ear is 124 Hz and the right ear is 114 Hz, then the binaural beat is 10 Hz (difference between both frequencies). The binaural beats work on the FFR (frequency following response) mechanism or “brainwave entrainment.” It is the process of electrical activity in the brain to match the frequency of an external periodic stimulus such as tone.

How to listen to binaural recordings OR How to Listen to Binaural Beats Correctly:

When listening to binaural beats, sitting in a comfortable place free from distractions is always advised. Listening to binaural beats audio daily for 30 minutes could ensure the rhythm has fallen into synchronization throughout the brain. People can experiment with the length of time that suits them best. For example, if a person is experiencing high anxiety or stress levels, they may want to listen to the audio longer. It would be best if you always used headphones for binaural beats to work. Although you need to put on your headphones and relax, there are a few tips that can improve your listening experience, and you can get maximum benefits from binaural beats:

Find a comfortable place: Finding a comfortable position without distractions is essential. You can sit on a comfortable chair or bed or lie down; whichever is comfortable is fine.
It would be best not to listen to binaural beats when you need to do something that requires your full attention, for example, driving a car. You should avoid any tasks that require the entire presence of the mind because the meditative state is not conducive to quick or action-oriented critical thinking.
Always listen to binaural beats to quiet your mind, relax, get your emotions flowing, and engage your intuition. It can even help strengthen your personal development work, such as improving visualization and affirmations.
Wear loose or comfortable clothes. Loose or comfortable clothes are great for meditation. They will make you feel free, whereas tight clothes can make you feel awkward while sitting or lying down and make you aware of their presence, leading to distraction.
Give yourself enough listening time, at least 15-30 minutes, to experience the benefits. The brain requires at least 7 minutes to sync or entrain with the audio stimulus.
You can experiment with meditating with your eyes open or closed to see what works best. You can also focus on an object or a candle to help focus your mind or close your eyes while meditating and focusing only on music. Beginners usually find eyes-closed meditation to be easier because there are fewer distractions.
Make sure you like the music: It is essential for a pleasant listening experience that you enjoy what you are listening to. You should invest in high-quality audio with good sound technology. The music should be relaxing and should enhance the brainwave entrainment process.
Just let go and enjoy music: You should not try to force anything. Try not to control your thoughts or try to force the process. This will only create anxiety around listening. Just enjoy the session as “me time.”
Set a comfortable listening volume: The volume should be not too low nor too high. It should be audible and comfortable.
Let others know not to disturb you: When you listen to a binaural beat session, you are trying to entrain the brain into a specific state. So, if you know that someone might disturb or interrupt the process while you are meditating, just let them know that you’re doing a session for 40 minutes (or the time duration you choose).
Turn off the digital devices: While relaxing or focusing on work, turn them off if your digital devices are likely to distract you during your listening session.
It’s best to use headphones for maximum effect. For the binaural beats to work effectively, there should be two tones, one for each ear of different frequencies. Without headphones, there’s a high probability your ears will pick up both frequencies, and the auditory illusion will be gone.

Above all, be patient. Training and developing your brain take time.

Applications OR Ways to Use Binaural Beats

Other than putting on your headphones and pressing play, there are several different ways binaural beats can be implemented:

For Meditation: Binaural beats can help your brainwaves enter meditation. Meditation is essential; it takes us away from the world of suffering into the world of happiness and joy. People can work on their intuition or discover themselves during meditation.
To sleep better: Studies have shown that binaural beats can induce the delta phase in the brain, increasing the length of deep sleep. Thus, it improves the quality of sleep and reduces stress and anxiety. It increases the ease of waking up, which is sleepiness and feeling refreshed during the morning.
During Study: Have you heard of Mozart’s effect? It is claimed that people listening to Mozart’s music generally boost their IQ intelligence and tend to score high on various cognitive tests. Similarly, binaural beats help synchronize the brain’s hemispheres and thus increase spatial reasoning. It helps us to think more comprehensively as whole-brain thinkers rather than left-brain analysts or right-brain creatives. So, next time you want to score high and study more effectively, just put your headphones up and press play.

IP Moat related to Binaural beats

Some of the top 10 Key Players (i.e., patent assignees) across the globe who are in the field of binaural beats:

Oticon AS
Koninklijke Philips NV
Widex
Bodyfreind Co Ltd
Magic Leap

Sivantos Pte Ltd
Dlogixs Co Ltd
Neuroenhancement Lab LLC
Starkey Lab Inc
Hardt James V

Based on this analysis, Octicon AS appears to be the top patent assignee, followed by Koninklijke Philips NV and Widex, as seen from the INPADOC (International Patent Documentation) family count. Other major players, such as Magic Leap, Bodyfreind Co. Ltd, etc., also appear in our analysis. It is also interesting to note that several research and R&D labs, such as Neuroenhancement Lab LLC, Starkey Lab Inc, etc., are also aggressively filing patents related to this technology.

From the above diagram, it can be inferred that most binaural beats-related innovations have happened in the last five years. Our analysis shows that 2014 and 2022 saw the highest patent filing activity in the previous decade. The graph shows the trend of filing the number of patents by the key players over the last 20 years. It seems that active research and development work is ongoing in binaural beats.

In addition to the above data, several other joint venture companies, research institution collaborators, and academic institutions are actively participating in the research and development field of binaural beats. Some of the key players across the globe who fall under this domain and act as ultimate parents in terms of Patent filing can be seen in the respective graph.

Conclusion

Based on several human studies, binaural beats appear to be a beneficial method to fight against stress, anxiety, and negative mental states. Meditation isn’t always easy to learn, and people find it difficult to follow in their daily routines. However, listening daily to binaural audio may positively affect memory, stress, anxiety, mood, creativity, and attention. Although binaural beats aren’t a cure for any particular condition and won’t work for everyone, they might offer an auditory escape for those interested in relaxing, sleeping more peacefully, enhancing their meditation experience, inner clarity, focus, or entering a meditative state.

Disclaimer: This report is based on information that is publicly available and is considered to be reliable. However, Lumenci cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or reliability of this data.

Binaural Sound Technology