Mike's Electric Stuff

Visualizing the invisible with microphone arrays Most of us think of imaging in terms of photons, but the Crysound Pocket Acoustic Imaging Camera flips the script by visualizing sound waves. This isn't just a fancy microphone; it's a sophisticated array of sensors surrounding a central camera. By using advanced digital signal processing, the device overlays a heat-map style visualization of audio onto a live video feed. It’s a specialized tool that turns the chaos of ambient noise into a clear, directional map, allowing you to see exactly where a sound originates. Pinpointing ultrasonic leaks and corona discharge The real magic happens when you move beyond the human hearing range. In testing, the Crysound device instantly locked onto the corona discharge of an ion generator from ten meters away—a sound nearly imperceptible to the ear. It also pinpointed the high-frequency vibration of a piezoelectric disc in an ultrasonic atomizer and even identified the faint whine of a switch-mode power supply inside a sealed electricity meter. For industrial maintenance, this means detecting compressed air leaks or electrical faults in distribution networks before they lead to catastrophic failure. Industrial performance meets DIY pricing The most disruptive element of this hardware is the cost. Typically, a professional acoustic camera from a brand like Fluke commands a staggering £20,000 price tag. The Crysound unit hits the market at roughly 5% of that cost. While this demonstrator unit lacks native video recording and requires a bit of an "emissivity" learning curve—similar to thermal cameras—its ability to make specialist diagnostic technology affordable for smaller factories and dedicated enthusiasts is a significant shift in the hardware landscape. Final verdict for the hardware bench While the software is still maturing and the physical build requires careful handling—opening the unit has been known to shatter the screen—the performance is undeniable. It provides a level of diagnostic insight that was previously gatekept by five-figure budgets. Whether you're hunting for rogue noise in a lighting rig or auditing a refrigeration system for leaks, this device brings professional-grade acoustic analysis to the home bench.