The CRYSOUND POCKET, Now Crowdfunding, Lets You See Exactly Where That Sound Is Coming From
A 64-channel microphone array creates a thermal camera-style heatmap for sound, at a fraction of the cost of brand-name acoustic cameras.
Sensing startup CRYSOUND has launched a crowdfunding campaign for an affordable acoustic imaging camera — a device that turns sound into a heatmap, for quick pinpointing of the source.
"CRYSOUND POCKET is a standalone acoustic imaging camera that helps you find sound-related issues faster in the field," CRYSOUND's 祖杨 曹 (Zu Yang Cao) explains. "It overlays a live acoustic heatmap on a real image, making leaks, suspicious discharge hotspots, and hidden noise sources easier to locate, document, and explain. Unlike attachment-style tools, CRYSOUND POCKET is built as a dedicated device for everyday inspection. It is compact enough to carry anywhere, yet professional enough for real maintenance, troubleshooting, and field documentation."
The idea behind the device is simple: an array of microphones is constantly analysing incoming sound, with the difference in when the sound is detected at each microphone used to pinpoint its source. The effect is similar to that of a thermal camera, except the live heatmap shown on-screen doesn't indicate the hottest point but the noisiest.
CRYSOUND is positioning the pocket-sized gadget, which is built around a 64-channel microphone array and overlays its heatmap on a live view from a five megapixel RGB camera on a 4.3" color touchscreen, as being ideal for a range of diagnostics — from finding gas leaks in piping to pinpointing exactly where a small puncture is in a tire.
It's not a new technology, by any means: back in March 2024 FLIR, best known for its thermal cameras, launched the FLIR Si2 family of acoustic imaging cameras. Where CRYSOUND is hoping to make a splash, though, is in pricing: FLIR's entry-level Si2-LD launched at $18,000, but the CRYSOUND POCKET starts at $899 for "super early bird" backers of the company's crowdfunding campaign, a claimed 40 percent discount over the device's planned retail price.
As a crowdfunded project, though, there are the usual caveats. CRYSOUND is a newcomer to crowdfunding, without a proven history — and some of the company's demonstration videos show the "hotspot" in the heatmap jumping around, particularly when the emitting object is very close to the microphone array. As always, backers aren't guaranteed to receive anything — even if the campaign reaches its surprisingly modest funding goal.
Those interested in backing the project can do so on the CRYSOUND POCKET Kickstarter page, where physical rewards start at $899 before taxes and shipping; hardware is expected to begin shipping in May this year, with retail availability to follow at a higher price.