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Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by wiradikusuma on Monday September 25, 2017 @11:23AM (#15331169)
Isn't cycling/driving with earphone plugged dangerous? I've tried it, and I couldn't hear the ambience sounds surrounding me.
Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by falcolas on Monday September 25, 2017 @12:31PM (#15331795)
Ironically, this mostly depends on you. If you lose the sense of vehicles and people around you, your music/navigation is up too high.

Even with the best isolating headphones (around 25db; most non-IEM models offer much less isolation), you can still hear ambiant noises (unless your hearing is damaged to the point where isolating headphones do make you deaf). And with the standard set of Apple style headphones, they won't dampen the outside world at all.

Losing the ambiant noises will only occur when you overwhelm them out with your music, podcast, or navigation.

Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by KirinDave on Monday September 25, 2017 @02:08PM (#15332625)
> Ironically, this mostly depends on you.

So the answer is, "yes." Not, "It depends on if you have ESP."

That said, some noise cancelling headphones offer modes that specifically let road noise through, and folks have hacked them to improve directionality of weak sound signals, and amplify voices. The Parrot Zik firmware comes stock with a 'street' mode.

It's entirely possible to have these systems function as hearing aides. MIT lab folks have demoed small wide-angle optical object detection that's then translated to directional feedback in a haptic belt.

Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by falsedan on Monday September 25, 2017 @01:59PM (#15332539)
> Even with the best isolating headphones (25dB)

Etymotic ER-4's are 35-42 dB; I've put mine in and not heard the bus zooming through the crossing I was about to stroll across…

Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by falcolas on Monday September 25, 2017 @02:24PM (#15332746)
Etymotics are fantastic, but I can hear regular road noise through them with my music turned down. Doesn't require much volume to drown it out, but it's still possible.

ER4-XR's for me.

Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by jdbernard on Monday September 25, 2017 @12:51PM (#15331988)
Losing the ambiant noises will only occur when you overwhelm them out with your music, podcast, or navigation.

And running earbuds that loud for an extended period of time is a good way to lose your hearing.

Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by steveadoo on Monday September 25, 2017 @11:29AM (#15331232)
I would think so. It's actually illegal in my state(PA) to wear headphones while driving. Not sure about bikes though.
Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by r00fus on Monday September 25, 2017 @04:16PM (#15333733)
How does PA square this against (in e.g. a rented car) the alternative for many folks is putting the phone to the ear... seems like a stale law.

Not all cars/phones/media can do handsfree.

Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by Brakenshire on Monday September 25, 2017 @11:31AM (#15331246)
There are some augmented reality headphones which can filter out some sounds but not others, so you might be able to listen to music but still hear preferentially hear certain sounds like tyres, engines, etc, or perhaps human conversation. A bit like listening to a podcast on your phone, but having it pause or fade out when the a satnav app wants to tell you to take a turning. Although I think they're still a bit of a work in progress, at the moment the microphones pick up too much wind noise to be able to use them while cycling, but maybe something for the future.
Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by zimpenfish on Monday September 25, 2017 @11:38AM (#15331303)
Etymotic had an app for this which used the headset mic to monitor your surrounding and pipe "important" sounds to the headphones. Looks like it's migrated to Essency now.

http://www.essency.co.uk/awareness-the-headphone-app/

Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by chickenfries on Monday September 25, 2017 @11:52AM (#15331423)
I hate that the video encourages wearing headphones while cycling. I have a phone holder on my handlebar and turn up the volume on my phone, works great.
Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by mertd on Monday September 25, 2017 @12:07PM (#15331563)
Works great for you. Not so much for people who bike around you.
Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by chickenfries on Monday September 25, 2017 @01:52PM (#15332488)
Are you referring to headphones or what I do? I can't see how having my driving directions coming out of my phone distracts anyone else... it's not like it's very loud.
Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by mertd on Monday September 25, 2017 @08:11PM (#15335198)
I'm referring to the case when the external speakers are playing music. It gets irritating to listen to somebody's music if they are riding your back wheel.
Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by chickenfries on Tuesday September 26, 2017 @02:59PM (#15341577)
Oh, I also do that sometimes for long leisurely rides. That might be annoying to someone who doesn't like my music but it's not a safety hazard.

However, what I do usually if I have to get directions just use my built in phone speakers.

Re:Jacquard by Google transforms clothing by shimon on Monday September 25, 2017 @12:34PM (#15331827)
Seriously. Is this something that's already commonplace, and tech like this jacket can make less distracting? Or does this kind of stuff just enable humans to do more stuff with a fixed budget of risk? (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_compensation)