From George Snowden
You describe a new microphone with non-acoustic sensors that detect speech via the speaker’s nerve and muscle activity, rather than sound (9 April, p 21).
In 1960 I bought a De Havilland Chipmunk aircraft that was equipped with a throat microphone. This was strapped around the neck with two vertical sausage-shaped devices resting against the sides of the throat. It felt strange at first, but I got used to it. After a few weeks I found that I only had to mouth the words, not speak them.
I did hear, however, of people whose throat microphones shorted out, causing nasty burns on the throat. I suppose this is a reason that the microphone never became popular.
Natimuk, Victoria, Australia
