What Is White Noise Technology?

White noise technology falls under the larger category of anti-noise technology, which aims to eliminate unwanted noise from daily life. White noise technology is so named because it uses white noise to make unwanted sound less distinguishable to the ears. Like other noise cancellation technologies, white noise technology has several applications.

What Is White Noise?

• White noise is simply noise that is random in character. Anyone who has heard a television that is not on a specific channel has experienced white noise although all white noise is not necessarily unpleasant; the sound of a waterfall, for instance, is classified as white noise.

How Is White Noise Transmitted?

• White noise technology comes in several forms. Many manufacturers sell "white noise machines," which are electronic devices constructed for the sole purpose of delivering white noise. White noise can also be recorded onto audio devices such as compact discs and audio tapes and then listened to on a normal playback device. There are also free websites that stream white noise over the Internet.

White Noise in Professional Settings

• White noise technology is sometimes used in professional settings, such as the waiting rooms of healthcare professionals or in any other setting in which privacy is important. In such situations, white noise provides a backdrop of sound that is not as noticeable or distracting as music but which nonetheless helps to mask any private conversations taking place. Additionally, some people find that a low level of white noise can increase productivity by decreasing auditory distractions.

White Noise As a Sleep Aid

• Many people find that soothing forms of white noise, such as rushing water or the sound of wind, help them to fall asleep at night. By masking other sounds, white noise may also prevent a sleeper from waking up before he wants to. Similarly, some parents use white noise technology to soothe infants and help them fall asleep.

White Noise for Health

• White noise technology is sometimes used to decrease the painful symptoms associated with some health conditions. People who suffer from migraines sometimes use white noise to help eliminate or lessen noises that might otherwise be sources of considerable pain. Patients who suffer from tinnitus--a constant ringing sound in one or both ears--use white noise to hide their symptoms.