Noise, Depart!

A graduate student of the University of Twente in the Netherlands has "developed a device to actively combat noise nuisance." Johan Wesselink's invention "curtails sound waves and vibrations by producing anti-noise." While not exactly something new, the technology sounds like a very much welcome development for those who have been suffering from noise problems.
I hope this technology gets adopted by consumer electronics vendors soon. Imagine the benefits and advantages that consumers stand to gain from gadgets equipped with this technology.
Caught in traffic with a road crew next to your car, busy digging a street with a jackhammer? Turn on your mobile phone with the anti-noise feature -- problem solved.

Seated next to a loudmouth blabbering on his/her cellphone? Turn on your anti-noise technology-equipped MP3 player to drown out the offending noise.

A host of other possible applications think of right now, I can (as Yoda would say). (Photo from www.directindustry.com)