Author: Jannes Faber 2016-08-10 00:17:35
Published on: 2016-08-10T00:17:35+00:00
The Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) suggests that a standardized method for representing Bitcoin addresses using audio could be developed. The BIP proposes to take the binary representation of an address, chop it up into 4 or 2 bit chunks and generate tones based on these values. The protocol comes with error correction built in and aims to provide an easy way for consumers to donate Bitcoins to podcasts they listen to. In response to the proposal, some have suggested adding additional tones to denote amounts in satoshis. The proposal raises issues around how to make the signal both detectable and easy to decode, while also being pleasant to listen to and not interfering with speech frequencies. One suggestion was to use Mozart symphonies as a carrier wave onto which to modulate the signal, allowing listeners to interpret it as a generic, not too annoying tune without being audiophiles. Although the proposal is seen as both cool and cringe-worthy, it is considered to have potential use cases and there are calls for research to be conducted in this area.
Updated on: 2023-06-11T19:30:13.758198+00:00