SUMMARY
Soundwave technology is inherently inclusive and is not as technology and capital intensive
It can be used to send customized messages or offers that would be unique to every customer
It has the potential to lead to one of the most secure and effective man-machine and machine-machine interactions
In this increasingly digital era, we are surrounded by some form of data transmission almost every instant. Be it our WiFi and 4G internet connections, our headsets, aux cord or Bluetooth-connected car speakers, QR-code or UPI-enabled transactions, and what not.
While these innovations and technological advancements have practically transformed the way we lead our lives, there are still several reasons as to why they cannot cover all use-cases and eventualities. This is where soundwave technology comes into the picture.
Using the medium of sound to transmit data is not a new phenomenon. From chirping of birds and bats’ ultrasound to even human language—all communication that takes place between the members of various species uses sound waves of some kind, be it audible or otherwise.
For decades, telecom networks have been using this technology as well. Radios and dial-up modems stand as other strong past use-cases of ‘data over sound’. However, in the last few years, there has been a sudden explosion of interest in sound-based technologies for data communication.
With the advent and subsequent rise in the usage of smartphones and associated technologies, having an audio approach has been touted to have better applicability over other new and successful innovations.
Revolutionising Digital Payments
The unprecedented growth and usage of digital payments systems across the globe can be accredited almost entirely to the widespread penetration of internet connection and ownership of smartphones. The digital payments ecosystem at present requires internet to provide the interface between the two parties, and therefore both the ends need to have the basic infrastructure for the same.
Moreover, with rising consumer expectations, the need to make digital payments as less complicated and convenient as possible has been felt. Soundwave technology has emerged as an effective solution for all these challenges faced by this ecosystem.
The first major advantage that gives soundwave technology an edge over its alternatives is the fact that transactions through this mode can take place even in the absence of smartphones or internet connection on the user’s end. Furthermore, this technology is a lot more convenient because any transaction can take place seamlessly at the speed of sound.
There is no need for a high-resolution camera, QR codes, or an NFC-enabled infrastructure for this mode. Additionally, to cater to concerns regarding security, pioneering players are also leveraging technologies like blockchain to ensure more transparent, traceable, and secure contactless transactions, as compared to other modes of digital payments.
One of the biggest reasons to why soundwave technology can define the future of digital payments is because of its absolute scalability. Through the adoption of this technology at a minimal cost, the threshold barriers are massively reduced, making its prospects for mass deployment and usage all the more attractive.
Moreover, soundwave technology is inherently inclusive and is not as technology and capital intensive as the ability to transmit and receive data in other alternatives is. Because of all this, soundwave technology is among the most promising developments in the digital payments ecosystem at present and is bound to revolutionize the way financial transactions take place.
Gaining Momentum Among Other Industries
While soundwave technology has the potential to bring about a revolution in the way payments take place, there is more to its applicability than just in the case of digital payments. The landscape of sound technology encompasses multiple methods and applications between people and machines, making this mode a very useful solution across various industries and verticals.
For instance, with targeted and personalized marketing rapidly gaining traction in the retail industry, soundwave technology can add another significant dimension to this process of customization. By facilitating effective two-way communication through digital screens, TV, radio etc., soundwave technology can be used to send customized messages or offers that would be unique to every customer.
Soundwave technology is also being used to enable communications between analogue devices and other such devices running on low-powered chips, in the absence of traditional networking capabilities.
For instance, data-over-sound technology can be used to monitor equipment in a highly sensitive nuclear environment where radio frequency-based technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC are prohibited. Moreover, in a competitive service-oriented industry like the F&B, soundwave technology can be used to enhance customer experience through an automatic and seamless eat-and-go facility.
These are just some of the very many brilliant present and potential use-cases of the frictionless and ubiquitous applicability of soundwave technology, and it is still in its nascent stages! The future of data communications and connectivity is projected to be a combination of technological innovations, and sound plays an elemental role in the same.
Soundwave technology has the potential to lead to one of the most secure and effective man-machine and machine-machine interactions, thereby redefining the very realm of data communications and forerunning the dawn of a convenience-focused world of future!
