What is Ultrasonic Technology?

Here at LISNR, we live and breathe ultrasonic technology. We’ve written up this quick guide to explain what this technology is and some key use cases.   

Ultrasonic technology is defined as the process of using barely audible and inaudible sound waves to transmit digital data. It is also known as ultrasonic data transmission. When it comes to LISNR tech, sound waves are first encoded with data in the 14-19 kHz range, then the ensuing tone can be broadcast from a standard speaker over a variety of distances, depending on amplification and tone type. That tone is recognized by a standard microphone and locally decoded via another device or series of devices using the LISNR SDK.

It is important to note that truly ultrasonic tones begin at 20 kHz, so LISNR tones are technically near-ultrasonic, as they are inaudible to the vast majority of the population.

Use Cases for Ultrasonic Technology

One of the major use cases we have explored is improving the customer journey experience. For example, ultrasonic technology allows shoppers to seamlessly pair to a store’s wifi. Beyond the convenience factor, the store or merchant can use the network along with a LISNR tone to send the shopper pertinent information and targeted promotions.

When it comes to the payment portion of the customer journey, utilizing ultrasonic tech is faster, more inclusive, and upholds industry standard safety measures. Let’s go over each of these in turn.

The in-store shopping experience lures consumers in with the ability to experience products in real life and make more informed shopping decisions. But when shoppers are faced with long checkout lines, all of the convenience of shopping in-store fades away. Whether shoppers choose self checkout or want to be rung up by a cashier, a faster way to pay improves the overall customer experience. This makes it possible to shorten lines and keep shoppers from turning away when they see how long they’ll have to wait in line in order to complete their purchase.

The other side of this is how ultrasonic technology can be more inclusive. After all, there are so many payment technologies: Apple Pay, Chase Pay, Google Pay, and some stores even have store-specific technology, such as Walmart Pay. While this may seem like stores are giving shoppers increasingly modern payment options, offering all mobile payment options leads to a cluttered checkout experience. No shopper wants to have to decipher which of several terminals they should put their phone next to in order to pay. With a LISNR SDK embedded in the specific retailer’s app, they can seamlessly accept mobile payments from any shopper using their app with the help of near-ultrasonic tones.

Lastly, but certainly not least, is safety. Every financial transaction needs to be secure in order to protect shoppers and assure them that their personal information won’t be compromised.

Payment providers that work with LISNR encrypt payment data, such as a credit card number, and receive this secure data from the consumer. Any device attempting to intercept the data won’t get any identifiable information that they are interested in stealing.

Closing Thoughts

Ultrasonic technology has the ability to provide seamless transactions and customer experiences. Compared to antiquated ways of sending data, such as using Bluetooth or wifi, ultrasonic data transmission is the most cost effective and doesn’t drain mobile device batteries, while still keeping businesses and consumers alike safe.

Want to learn more about how ultrasonic technology can help your business connect with customers easier? Get in touch.