New microphone technology can pinpoint a single voice from a large crowd

Audioscope is a new system from Squarehead that utilises a large number of microphones housed in a carbon-fiber disk above, say, a sports stadium. A wide-angle camera looks down on the scene from the center of this disk. The operator can then pinpoint a spot in the stadium and the system works out how far that spot is from each of the microphones, corrects for the delay and then synchronizes the audio from all of them simultaneously. Audio from all microphones is stored in separate channels, so you can even go back and listen in on any sounds later. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this technology could be combined with other technologies for covert surveillance at public gatherings.  Authorities could eavesdrop on conversations taking place within the crowd. How long will it be before GPS surveillance satellites can pinpoint individual conversations taking place in the streets? Original report on Wired