Part 2 - Meet Woody Norris, Inventor of HyperSonic Sound

If Joe Pompei doesn't like Elwood "Woody" Norris, then Part 2 of today's interview with the chairman of American Technology Corporation (ATC) may change matters. Although Mr. Norris admits that Dr. Pompei's Audio Spotlight is "not a bad looking unit", he claims that the younger inventor is "way back where they were years and years ago". The "they" Norris refers to includes giants such as Sony, Bell Labs, and Motorola. Once upon a time, Woody Norris believed that he was the first person to think of directional sound technology. He soon learned, however, that the path he followed had been taken (and abandoned) for over fifty years.

Joe vs. the Volcano

When Woody Norris called CR4's Steve Melito last week, the inventor of HyperSonic Sound® (HSS) technology got equal time. Dr. F. Joseph Pompei's interview with CR4 had reached an international audience of engineers, scientists and technical professionals: high-value consumers who understand new technologies. Although Norris claims that he doesn't dislike Pompei, he dismisses the directional-sound technology behind his competitor's Audio Spotlight as mere "square rooting". By contrast, Norris explains, his own HSS "does about 11 things", including recursive error correction and error prediction.

Woody Norris also criticized the Audio Spotlight's ability to remove low frequencies, claiming that the audio sample which Joe Pompei uses consists of "violins and bird chirpings". In terms of dimensions, Norris asserts that his HSS is "smaller than his (Pompei's) smallest unit". Finally, the ATC chairman argues that the Holosonics web site is "not accurate" in stating that the Audio Spotlight "is in Chrysler concept cars". This was true in the past, says Norris; however, ATC is now working with Daimler-Chrysler, and the relationship has been "really, really good".

What's Next for Woody Norris?

Like all inventors, Woody Norris sees a "bright, brilliant future" for his products. In terms of markets, Norris hopes to license his directional-sound system to both TV manufacturers and car makers. In wireless home theaters, the HSS could be "mounted by the manufacturer" inside television sets that can receive surround channels. Two major applications for automobiles could help capture the lucrative car market. First, Norris envisions separate audio systems in the front and back – "one for the parents and one for the kids". Second, Norris wants to use the HSS to project "alert sounds" such as GPS instructions at the driver.

So Who Really Invented the Light Bulb?

"History," noted the May 2004 edition of Technology Review, "is replete with rival inventors battling one another to bring breakthrough creations to market." Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison each claimed to be the first to invent the incandescent light bulb. Ask your average citizen about Mr. Swan, however, and you'll probably get a blank stare.

How will history judge Elwood "Woody" Norris? And does Dr. F. Joseph Pompei really "hate" him, as Norris told CR4's Steve Melito during their recent telephone interview. The market may b e large enough for both American Technology Corporation (ATC) and Holosonics Research Laboratories, but history remains unwritten.

Steve Melito - The Y Files