BOSTON, Mass, – High Street Men's Grooming Centre, a Boston hair salon catering exclusively to men, is adding a personalized video and "private" audio experience to the classic shampoo and a haircut in its new Newbury Street facility. Updating the old barber chair, High Street installed semi-private grooming stations, each equipped with an individually controlled flat screen television and an Audio Spotlight® sound system, from Holosonic Research Labs, which beams audio exclusively to individual customers. Each customer, watching and listening to their own program in their chair, hears only their show without distracting TV sound from the adjoining chair. Because sound is localized to only the clients, the overall environment stays quiet, peaceful, and professional.

The idea of individually controlled televisions all within just feet of each other at first seemed unfeasible; the audio from the separate televisions would normally overlap, creating a cacophony of noise and a far-from-relaxing experience. But by equipping each styling station with a square, 16" Audio Spotlight speaker disc, salon goers can watch and listen to the television channel of their choice without the interference of surrounding sound... and without interfering with their surroundings. The extremely thin, flat speaker disc mounted easily onto the ceiling directly over each listener.

"The Audio Spotlight allowed us to create an even more inviting and entertaining atmosphere for our clients without diminishing the overall relaxing environment of our salon," said Michael Flaherty, owner of the High Street Men's Grooming Centre. "Customers can watch whatever they want – from ESPN News to CNN – without compromising their comfort level or the comfort of those around them."

Audio Spotlight systems create focused, pinpointed sound literally "from thin air," by harnessing the control of a narrow beam of ultrasound. While ultrasound itself is outside the range of human hearing, this innovative technique causes the air itself to change the ultrasound's "shape" as it travels. This change leads to the creation of clear, accurate audible sound that can be directed to a precise location, with directivity and control far exceeding any traditional loudspeaker.

"Audio Spotlight technology has been proven in hundreds of retail and consumer locations where you need targeted, focused sound that lets people listen to information or music in their own private zone, while preserving the quiet elsewhere," explained Dr. Joseph Pompei, president and founder of Holosonic Research Labs. "But this is a first for a hair salon – clearly, clients enjoy being able to watch and hear their own favorite sports or TV show, or even a DVD movie... except, perhaps, 'Sweeney Todd'."

About Holosonic Research Labs, Inc.

Holosonic Research Labs, Inc., a pioneer in directional acoustics, develops and manufactures the Audio Spotlight® directional sound system. Founded in 1999 by MIT graduate Dr. F. Joseph Pompei, Holosonics' Audio Spotlight technology is used in a wide variety of applications including museums, libraries, offices, reception areas, retail displays, trade shows and retail kiosks. The world's top organizations and companies such as Cisco, Motorola, the Smithsonian Institute, the Tate Modern and Time-Warner use the Audio Spotlight directional sound system to beam sound to their listeners... and preserve the quiet.™

Press inquiries: press@holosonics.com