When nearly 30 years ago Dr. Jacob Fraden invented an ear thermometer working on this second principle, the infrared light sensor was so large that he needed a narrow gold-plated reflective tube to channel the light from the ear drum to the sensor.

FORBES: Body temperature.

When sound waves enter the tube, the vibration of the droplets will cause the sensor to detect changes optically as the beam is disturbed, supposedly resulting in near-perfect vocal reproduction.

ENGADGET: Inventor patents laser microphone

His device will reportedly stream damp air containing microscopic water particles through a tube, while a laser diode beams light through the vessel onto a sensor located on the opposite side.

ENGADGET: Inventor patents laser microphone