Sony Ericsson’s motion activated MH907 headset could change things forever (update: or not)

Sep 21st 2009
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See that? That’s the device that will forever change the way you to listen to music. At least that was the promise made in the teaser running up to today’s press event. The buttonless MH907 buds are the world’s first “Motion Activated” headphones with Sony Ericsson’s “SensMe Control” tech: bung them into your ears to automatically start listening to music, remove one bud to pause. The buds are activated by body contact and mimick the way we control sound now. What’s cool is that the headphones seem to use your body as an electrical conduit (a Body Area Network) based on this quote from the webinar:

“Requires conductive surface to activate the controls – i.e. your ears, hence it won’t turn things on in your pocket by just squeezing the ear buds”

If so, this is a first consumer application of this technology that we can recall. Available globally this week for any Fast Port equipped phone for just €39. Video fun after the break.

Update: SE has further clarified that the technology is capacitive in nature. In other words, removing an ear bud isn’t breaking the flow of current between buds (and across your noodle) — it’s destroying the dynamic capacitor formed by the touch of human skin. Right, this is technology we’ve seen before in capacitive touchscreens and trackpads.

Gallery: Sony Ericsson’s motion activated MH907 headset could change things forever