Director Dan Gets a Megaphone

Hang on to your hats everyone—we’ve got big news. Director Dan just got…a megaphone. And he certainly had a good time using it to keep everyone learning lots during a recent Robots & God workshop in Ohio.

We’re not convinced giving him a megaphone was a great idea but time will tell! In the meantime, I decided to do some digging into how megaphones work. It’s one of those pieces of tech most people are familiar with (the concept anyway) but how does a megaphone actually amplify your voice?

• The iconic cone shape directs your voice towards your target audience. This “funnel” stops sound from scattering in all directions, like it usually does when it leaves your mouth, and instead focuses it where you want it to go.
• The cone shape also keeps the soundwaves from bouncing back to your mouth. When you speak, soundwaves leave a small, narrow space (your mouth) and enter the world outside. This change causes some of the soundwaves to reflect back into your mouth, which isn’t great if you want to be heard far away. A megaphone gradually increases in width, keeping the soundwaves from bouncing backwards. For this to work really well, the megaphone has to be a couple of feet long. But even cupping your hands around your mouth helps increase the volume of your voice.
• Smaller megaphones (like the one Director Dan has) are called bullhorns and they usually have an electronic amplifier and speaker that helps your voice be heard.

And there you have it! So, when you come to camp this summer and see Director Dan with his megaphone, you’ll know how it works.

If you aren’t enrolled for camp this summer, what are you waiting for? Apply today, and discover scholarship opportunities, at CampInfinity.com/camps. 

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