mutter machine

mutter machine

An audio device that plays a background garble for open office spaces. It sounds like a whole bunch of people chatting, but the words are indistinguishable. The constant noise level allows people to feel more privacy on the phone and also helps them feel less isolated when fewer office workers are at their desks. It has also been used by small offices to fake a large, busy company for incoming telephone callers. See prairie dogging.