imagine this:

You are wearing wireless headphones that when you turn your head keep the sound of the heavy breathing in the horror movie opposite the screen wherever you look.

all you need is an electronic compass inside the headphones and a button labeled "I'm now facing front, please save this direction" and the microchip in the headphones will remix the sound thats in 5.1 surround sound (or even stereo) to make it sound like the action is facing the screen wherever you look

EDIT:

i know someone designed something like this before but this way you can cheaply get full 3d where you can still turn youre head
-- IceFest, Aug 24 2007

Sony's head tracking 'phones http://www.sony.net...vpt/tech/index.html
gyro-based version [csea, Aug 24 2007]

Beyerdynamic Headzone http://mixonline.co...erdynamic_headzone/
Another similar offering [csea, Aug 24 2007]

5.1->Stereo using binaural HRTF convolution. http://www.saviours...hristian/?page_id=8
(just needs an positional input method, perhaps hold on to a Wii remote) [Dub, Aug 25 2007]

I searched for "head tracking headphones" and found several implementations. [links]
-- csea, Aug 24 2007


sigh...

i was so sure this was new

and i spent the last year thinking about it although the compass idea is new!!
-- IceFest, Aug 24 2007


Welcome [IceFest], but... Where else are you looking, when you're watching a movie?
-- Dub, Aug 24 2007


[+] Good idea for a video game, evesdropping on enemy conversations in a 3d environment ...adds a good tactical element.
-- jaksplat, Aug 25 2007



random, halfbakery