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Variable-opacity headphones

Conspicuous headphones that are mostly transparent when off
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The actual speakers in the headphones are small earbuds or similar, and that's surrounded by a large liquid crystal device the size of large headphones that goes transparent to indicate that they're not in use.

The user can set the device to lie for privacy or whatever, but in normal use people will know whether you'll hear if they talk to you by whether you look like you're wearing large ear covers or not. They can be seen more easily and from furthur away than the small earbuds.

caspian, Nov 18 2006

Activity Light Headphones Activity_20Light_20Headphones
Similar idea which could be used for the same purpose [caspian, Nov 18 2006]

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       LCDs can only go 50% transparent, but I guess that's okay; it just won't look as nice as fully transparent. Though there is that switchable meeting room privacy glass that goes white instead of black, and I think that's nearly fully transparent when off. Anybody know what technology that is?
notexactly, Mar 11 2018
  
      
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