Facts on Megaphones

When large crowds gather and a message must be delivered, there is one traditional tool for amplifying a human voice that dates back hundreds of years. At sporting events, political rallies, theater presentations and even protest demonstrations, megaphones are almost always a preferred method of voice amplification.

History

The origin of the megaphone can be traced back to sixth century Greek theater. With no electrical voice amplification yet invented, theater actors improvised masks with a funnel-shaped mouthpiece. When the actor spoke, his voice reverberated against the funnel and projected out into the audience. As other cultures observed and overtook the idea, they developed the more portable versions still common today.

Electrical Development

In the nineteenth century, theater and church enthusiasts used the inventions of Thomas Edison to further develop the traditional acoustic megaphone. By the middle part of the twentieth century, in 1947, inventor Henry C. Dalrymple had developed and patented the first electronic voice amplification system that used a microphone and electric amplifier to project sounds to an audience. As technology progressed and electronic components became smaller, this invention evolved into the powered megaphones now common around the world.

Types

Megaphones can be generalized into two types--acoustic and powered. While the acoustic models rely on traditional physical amplification first developed by the Greeks in the sixth century, the powered megaphones utilize electrical amplification to project sound. Powered megaphones can be further categorized according to the features--made possible through the use of advanced electronics--packaged into the device. Powered megaphones offer the ability to alter the voice to a different sound (voice changing megaphones), broadcast music in addition to voices (musical megaphones), and produce siren sounds for use in police and entertainment functions (police megaphones).

Potential

While the ubiquity of the devices has pushed commercial and civilian use of megaphones into virtually every conceivable use, military entities are developing advanced tactical purposes for the amplification devices. By using megaphones-especially powered megaphones--the military can direct sound toward enemy establishments to induce sleep deprivation and psychological assaults.

Effects

Throughout history, megaphones have found their way into virtually every function requiring broadcast of sound to a large audience. Megaphones have allowed theater presentations to progressively larger audiences, churches to deliver their messages to larger and larger congregations, and political candidates to pack in audiences of tens of thousands. Cheerleaders frequently use megaphones to stir the crowd at sporting events, and protesters similarly employ the devices to rally support at gatherings. Police use megaphones the negotiate situations, and the military is actively using them to deliver tactical psychological operations.