To further its production endeavors for the Vision Pro, Apple has been developing new technologies for immersive audio. In addition to its recent patent for proprietary spatial audio technology, the company has secured the rights to a spherical, 3D-printable microphone.
The patent, which is titled “Apple Dual Concentric Spherical Microphone Array“, describes a device intended for film production, Vision Pro content, and more. The device’s inner sphere, which has microphones distributed evenly across its surface, is covered by a larger, 12-sided dodecahedron shape, which has a microphone affixed to each of its vertices. The outer frame can be printed as a single unit using additive printing techniques.
The unit utilizes MEMS microphones for their size and precision, and includes options such as a wind shield and mounting shaft for outdoor use. In addition for immersive 3D audio recording, the patented unit is positioned for broadcasting sound scenes with spatial depth, acoustic holography and sound field analysis, and, of course, potential use in AR/VR environments.
See also: Apple reportedly working on several new headsets
