Royal Voice Images Made Visible for the First Time

12 May 2011

When Prince William and Kate Middleton spoke their wedding vows before 2 billion people, they couldn’t have known that deep in the English Lake District, a laboratory was making their voices visible with a new type of scientific instrument.

Just as the invention of the microscope uncovered a previously hidden realm, the invention of the CymaScope reveals the once invisible realm of sound. The voice patterns of Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, present some surprising results. 

According to John Stuart Reid, the instrument’s co-inventor, Prince William’s voice has some interesting characteristics. “His Royal Highness’ voice pattern is based on the number twelve that was a sacred number for many religions, including the royal Egyptian dynasties. The twelve plant-like motifs around the Duke’s voice image resemble the lotus blossom, while the central feature, based on a hexagon, is very crown like. A sun or star-like symbol inside the hexagon reminds us that the sacred biography of all kings was related to the sun god.” 

And what of the Duchess’ voice pattern? Again, Reid provides some interesting insights, “Her Royal Highness’ voice pattern contains 14 flower-like motifs, and ancient symbology suggests that the number 14 denotes someone with a vivid imagination, who is full of ideas, energy and vitality. The inner part of the pattern includes a seven-sided figure, a number associated with the seven virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Prudence, and Temperance. ” 

One particularly wonderful aspect of the CymaScope is that it allows all sounds and voice patterns to be visually studied. Voice patterns are unique to each person, much like a fingerprint. Sounds do not create ‘waves’, as is popularly believed, but shimmering, holographic sound bubbles, and the geometries contained within these bubbles are captured with this new instrument. As Prince William and Kate Middleton recited their marriage vows, the “sound bubbles” that emerged from their mouths were imaged on the CymaScope.

For more details and research information, visit: http://www.cymascope.com/cyma_research/

Reid’s company is currently using the CymaScope to help decipher dolphin language with a team led by Jack Kassewitz in Florida, a marine biology researcher who has made significant strides in his bid to “speak dolphin.”