Scientists are working on headphones that block annoying noises and allow the ones you love? I can’t wait! | Emma Beddington

Published 12 June 2026 · tech

Imagine a world with more birdsong and less Nigel Farage. If this is the future, bring it on Unpopular opinion incoming: there’s cool stuff brewing

Imagine a world with more birdsong and less Nigel Farage. If this is the future, bring it on Unpopular opinion incoming: there’s cool stuff brewing in the world. Microbots might one day mend spinal cords, a petri dish of brain cells can already play video games, and now the prospect of a new wonder: according to a New Yorker article on misophonia (the condition where unwanted noise triggers disproportionate, unpleasant cognitive and physiological reactions), a team of miracle workers are “using machine learning to develop headphones that … can quickly target and eliminate irksome audio”.

Now we’re talking! This project, led by Shyam Gollakota of the University of Washington’s Mobile Intelligence Lab, aims to develop headphones that selectively filter out

triggering noises, leaving or enhancing the good sounds. Gollakota offers the example of sitting on a park bench, oblivious to loud talkers next to you

but able to hear birdsong. Continue reading...

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