Here’s a neat idea for thwarting intentional and unintentional eavesdroppers: Babble. Privacy Without Walls:

Babble provides voice confidentiality at your desk, offering security for spoken information as well as reduced distraction.

Distraction? I wish a device like this was included with every cell phone in public use. It’s very annoying being somewhere and hearing all of someone’s cell phone conversation when you are trying very much not to listen to it.

An audio demo of Babble is available at the site. The device (pictured above) looks like a cross between a pencil sharpener and Bose speaker and emits “small, separated sounds” which creates the illusion of a crowd of people which are easier to tune out that a single voice.

If I worked in a cubicle I’d need one of these. I could use one in the office as I have a loud voice and the girls are always telling me to simmer down. Perhaps a crowd of my vocals would be worse LOL. Listen to the sample and try to pick out something intelligible. It sounded to me like listening across a band of intermingled voices. Cool stuff, although I think a bit on the spendy side at $395 USD. Available July 2005.